Mud season is that time in Vermont between winter and spring. The surface layers of soil have started to melt, but the deeper, frozen layers cannot absorb the water, turning the top into a muddy mess. This season is not only messy, it’s also the time when the ground beneath our feet is most vulnerable. If walked on, the oversaturated topsoil can get overly compacted, making it hard for anything to grow later on. Hence, the Green Mountain Club’s advice: Until the soil hardens again and can carry our weight, turn around and stick to the roads.
Sometimes, life halfway between the winter holidays and summer vacation can feel like a personal mud season. The mind feels disorganized and the whole family feels stuck in its everyday routine. Here the Green Mountain Club’s advice can also apply. When we’re most vulnerable, it helps to be patient. The earth beneath our feet will harden again, and spring will be here soon.
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
This article appears in Kids VT, March 2019.
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