I found one persistent dandelion blooming this morning.  The farm was covered in a heavy freezing fog, the rocks and plants were white with wispy frost, and the soil was crunchy underfoot.  But in one clump of trees the frost was light.  And this dandelion was almost entirely frost free, probably owing to the shelter of the piece of limestone above it.

Microclimates are curious things.  Creating microclimates is a staple of permaculture discussions, but I’ve never found them to behave consistently.  The means are varied:  creating wind breaks, building solar sinks, or controlling water flow.  Any of these can influence the temperature in a small protected area.  The problem is that if the wind were to shift directions or the afternoon became cloudy, these methods wouldn’t help.

Sometimes success is all about being in the right place at the right time.  Whatever combinations of factors led to this bloom surviving, it was fun to see this tough little flower growing against all odds.