White Mountains AZ Spring! Lilacs tell the story.

T.S. Eliot penned, "April is the cruelest month", and if you hope for the smell of lilacs in the Spring here in the White Mountains of Arizona, that phrase will haunt you!

Yes, lilacs can grow here!  We planted this now near-Mini-Cooper sized lilac about 10 years ago (what did we know about April in the Mountains, then?) when it was a tiny weedy thing in a 1/2-gallon bucket.  For the last few years, April had been hot, balmy-- a total set-up.  But, as you can see, it flourished.  Now, being originally from the East Coast, we've had our share of running out with all the sheets in the house to cover azaleas-- so what made us think April wouldn't be dicey here in the White Mountains? "Hope springs eternal", another famous quote comes to mind.

Every year, the first hint of lilac would waft into our bedroom from tiny tight blooms on the lilac bush.  And we'd say, "This year it'll be glorious".  And nearly every year, we'd get a freeze, a blizzard in April, for which we swore we would be prepared for, but weren't.  We'd wake up one April morning to frozen blooms, not only on our lilac, but our always-hopeful rose bushes. 

This year, we were PREPARED.  Well, Pam prepared Bruce to prepare to defend the lilac...  Listening to the Weather Channel, watching the weather maps, it was clear we were in for an April snow and sub-freezing temps.  Pam said, "We can do this!"  Bruce said, "Who's this 'we'?"  "Get giant stakes and we'll put two king-sized comforters over the bush!"--  Pam's idea.  "Do you have any idea how big that thing actually is?" was Bruce's first response.  Well, no, not exactly.  Size, dimensions, measurements are kind of foggy to most women.  Men measure things with rulers and tapes.  Women just kind of spread their arms and hands to indicate size...

As with most cold fronts coming in, high winds start howling a day or so before the arrival of the front.  And, winds were probably 40mph.  A friend and colleague of mine got thrown to the ground by a Dust Devil that snuck up behind her while taking pictures of White Mountain Lake.  She may still have grit in her teeth.  But!  It makes no difference when the LILAC BUSH is being threatened-- get out there!  Bruce, get out there, Pam watch from the window.

In the howling wind Bruce drove stakes around the lilac.  He wrestled with heavy king-sized comforters that became sails or kites, pulling them over the stakes, tying them down with rope.  It was heroic to watch!  Covered just the top of the bush.  Gosh, that thing IS huge!  In the above picture you can see the stakes--- didn't Pam order "giant stakes"?  But, nevertheless...

In the morning, we had six inches of heavy snow.  The lilac was under tons of snow and tons of comforters.  Warm and toasty.  Sort of.  Days later, after the soggy unveiling, the house was filled with the dizzying scent of lilacs.  Yay!

So, for next year Pam has an idea that Bruce is totally scoffing at.  Why not, when freezing April temps are threatening, put an outdoor Christmas spotlight on the ground in the midst of the bush?  What's wrong with that?  What's the difference between a hot spotlight and a smudge-pot like they use in the Florida orange groves?  And plastic tarps!  How do you make a smudge pot?