Spring Fever

Statue of Franz Joseph in front of the Ellwood-Nehring Home

Flowers waiting to go into the ground in front of the Little House

Lilac blooms in front of the museum

Spring has sprung at Ellcourt and with it comes not only the budding of flowers and trees, but the reinvigoration and return of the various animal and insect species that call Ellwood-Nehring House home, or, at the very least, call its grounds their summer getaway! Observing the dawning of spring at Ellcourt can be wondrous, with each newly sprouted daffodil and every visiting robin offering proof positive of the sublime. However, it is at such times when one must recall the words of Tennyson and take to heart his admonition that beneath the veneer of life in verdant ascendance lies a natural world steeped “red in tooth and claw.”

From a caretaker’s perspective, springtime, in addition to being a season of rebirth, is also a season of potential decay and a time when damage and depreciation can occur suddenly or insidiously. For example, the idyll of an April shower can rapidly transform into a ferocious storm, complete with gall-force winds, tornado warnings, and the potential to harm structures or surrounding landscaping, as was the case last year when we lost one of our maple trees. Likewise, the jolly squirrel, who frolics so harmlessly about the grounds, may possess something of a sweet tooth and begin nibbling on the lead drainage pipes affixed to the front-porch planters. If left undeterred, the despicable varmint would steadily gnaw them down, day by day, millimeter by millimeter. Sure, spring has sprung, but if you’re a caretaker, that doesn’t mean it’s time to smell the roses!