The greenery I see sprouting in the garden is, alas, mostly weeds, sneaking in an early start (the little baggages!). Still, I have been strolling around outside quite a bit in the last week or two, cheering on the things I know are lurking underground: the garlic and shallot bulbs I planted last fall.....
and of course the spring bulbs: species crocus and tulips, miniature daffodils and all the usual suspects. Last week, after several days indoors with a cold, I just had to get outside. It hits me every spring, but this year it's coming on a bit early. In the early days of my gardening habit, I would I tell my sweetheart "I've got to outside and throw some dirt around!" and at first he was surprised. I guess he thought I was kidding? As the decades have come and gone, he has moved from amazement to chuckling (apparently it was cute there for a few years) to, nowadays, barely a head nod.
I could have done it too (thrown dirt around), since the soil is not frozen anywhere except where shaded by fence or northern exposure trees. But as I picked up my shovel and donned my gloves, I had a little guilt attack about the pile of mulch/compost which I had had delivered last fall, still sitting out by the street, partly encroaching on my neighbor, Stan's, front lawn. Oops. So I grabbed my trusty wheelbarrow and moved a few loads to the back yard:
I did three loads and then my cold-weakened limbs demanded a tea break, and that was it for the day. Still, it was very satisfying to be outside with my plant buddies. Today looks promising too ..........
