It's coming...

This week something fantastic happened: highs in the mid 50s made it into the 10 day forecast. Yes! We're talking a day or two in the upper 50s, which rounds up to 60, which is almost an appropriately comfortable household temperature. OUTSIDE. Spring is on its way, folks!!

This winter has been a much easier one for me than the last. 

Remember last year's bitter cold? Like, kids in the Northern Midwest missing school because it's so cold? Apparently 10 degrees vs -20 degrees does make a difference in how miserable a winter feels. And I thought for sure it was going to be a very tough winter with a new little baby keeping me inside, but it's been mild this year and not so bad. 

However, truly warm temps are coming, like they do every year, and we're starting to get ready for some gardening fun around here!

Mike's got some of our maples tapped and ready for the sap to rise. It's been so great having real maple syrup all year long, made from our own backyard, so much so that Mike is thinking about building an outdoor evaporator stove to make syrup on, maybe next year.

He was also able to attend the MOSES organic farming conference last week, where he learned about grafting apple trees, legal issues in organic farming, permaculture, and a lot of other farming topics he gets excited about. This year he plans to apply to sell at our Saturday farmer's market, which may or may not work out, but every step is a little closer to an organic farming career for him.

I'm looking forward to filling my new planters with colorful annuals, now that my perennials are complete (enough) in the front yard. Browsing briefly through the online catalog for Baker Creek Seeds reminded me just how delightful it is to grow beautiful things! Mike's already purchased his seeds; still have to shop for mine!

In the pursuit of fresh inspiration, I opened Pinterest and once again wished there was a Pinterest created entirely for the garden, because many of the articles are just... gimmicky... and don't strike a cord with what a person really needs to garden well. DIY stepping stones, growing vegetables from grocery store cuttings, little tricks with overzealous promises: these are not the things that make gardening great. Pinterest has some good stuff, but I have yet to find many inspiring places on the web for those who love to dig and deadhead. Perhaps that's because so many hardcore gardeners are OUTSIDE working in the dirt instead of online!

Random duck in my driveway, trying to keep me from leaving for work.  Had to get out and chase him away. Pretty sure he didn't see my car inching toward him because he was daydreaming about Spring

Well, we'll all be outside again soon! In the meantime, I'd better go order my seeds so I can stake out a chunk of grow light space before Mike claims it all!

Happy almost-Spring!