Spring Chatter

Oh, life is so busy, too busy.  Spring comes with delightful baggage -- twice as many chores in a day!  I have been raking out last fall's leaves, churning up the earth for another year of riotous exuberance, and madly planting -- dahlias in front, hydrangeas in the sheltered back, and goodies in the one sunny plot.  I finally put in the vegetables.  Some of the same stars have returned for another season -- swiss chard, zucchini, and heirloom tomatoes that go into the many recipes I have collected for just those ingredients.  We also have some new faces -- arugula for that extra kick in a salad and some lemony basil.  It has such a strong lemon component we will have to see how that goes over in the pesto.  I also came across some chocolate mint that I just couldn't resist sampling at the nursery (um, that lady over there is ingesting the plants), it tasted amazing, but I couldn't quite make myself purchase a mint plant when I have plenty at home steadily overtaking the other defenseless herbs.  

I was bemoaning the unceasing drizzle last week, but now that I have been planting, I am singing a different tune, "Rain, rain, please come again.  I don't want to use my watering can!"  I am spoiled living here and not at all used to having to water my own garden!  My adorable niece was over for a visit this afternoon and said that Illinois was just the place for me.  You just put something in the ground and it grows.  (Except for my boxwoods -- I had such high hopes of a hedge in 25+ years, I will have to post a picture of its demise).  I do indeed enjoy my little piece of Earth and I watch the skies for any signs at all of precipitation (Ooh, it has gotten really dark and gray, rainfall is imminent.  Drat, here is the sun again, you know, the one I have missed all winter.  More clouds blowing our way, just a little further...).   Of course, even in the midst of my petitions, I am torn because I have also been grateful for the unseasonably dry week -- oldest boy is off with the school for a week of Outdoor Education.  They are out sleeping in tents, cooking their own food over campfires, and indulging in nature walks.  Oldest girl had a very wet week a couple of years ago so we are glad there hasn't been a duplication of that.  Surely he could survive one good afternoon soak and the plants would be much obliged, I'm sure.