Appalachian Word of the Week -- DOGWOOD WINTER

Dogwood tree

What winter are you experiencing where you live this week? Down here in Georgia, we are in DOGWOOD WINTER. Since we're generally about two weeks ahead of my hometown of Harlan, Kentucky, you may be anxious for DOGWOOD WINTER to arrive.

We have several winters in the south. They always help us gauge when it's safe to plant. If you plant before the biggest winter cold snap passes, you will probably have wasted your seeds--and your back.

So, why is it called DOGWOOD WINTER? That's fairly easy to figure out. After the cold snap, the dogwood begins to bloom. We have a week or so of warmer weather before the next winter arrives. So, if the dogwoods are blooming, you have completed DOGWOOD WINTER.

The Dogwood flower

DOGWOOD WINTER isn't the last winter, but it's the one I always looked forward to each spring. One of my favorite events took place down in Knoxville, Tennessee every spring--the Dogwood Arts Festival.

You could drive through the streets and "ooh" and "aah" as your family enjoyed the gorgeous display of white and pink dogwoods in full bloom. The communities celebrated by having arts and crafts, food, and all types of entertainment. After a long winter, DOGWOOD WINTER gave everyone hope for the coming summer.

Dogwood blooms represent the crucifixion

The common story about DOGWOOD is that the bloom represents the crucifixion of Christ. The four petals represent the cross. The brown edges are the blood He shed. The yellow center stands for His crown. Usually, it works out that the DOGWOOD is in full bloom right around Easter.

I hope you have DOGWOOD WINTER soon wherever you live. It certainly puts a smile on my face. Do you have a story about DOGWOOD WINTER?

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