Springtime is Mother Nature getting into her ouch zone. She's breaking away from what is known and trying out fantastical new ideas. She's throwing color, scents, sounds and tastes at us at an almost dizzying speed. Sometimes she moves too quickly and tender buds are frozen in an early spring snowstorm. Other times, she puts it all on the line, and the entire lush bounty arrives, survives and thrives weeks early.