It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Springtime

As we approach the official beginning of spring I can't help but think that the garden knows something I don't - the plum tree has burst into flower seemingly overnight, the nights are cool but still, the days boast the most room-temperature weather I've ever felt and there is green everywhere. It's as if we're on the verge of an explosion of life, and everything is just quietly waiting for the signal to go. I can't wait.

I can understand why people get the urge to 'spring clean' - while I'm still a little lacking in energy from my bout of illness, I keep feeling a compulsion to do things. To achieve, organise, tidy, create... normally my knitting is plenty to satisfy that need but now I think I need something more. It's time for Projects and grand dreams! It's time to take a serious look at my goals for the future and what I can do to move toward them (serious goals and small ones). 

I was thrilled to see that one of my bulbs has flowered. Considering I wasn't sure I'd planted them in time, or if the bed would suit them, it feels like a huge achievement. There's another half dozen plants looking strong and green so I am hopeful that there will be more flowers to come. For now I have just the one snowdrop to dote on and I keep catching myself peeking out the window or making little trips outside just to look at it.

As far as flowers go, I've also been thrilled to see the sheer number of blossoms on the snow pea plants. For something that I thought I'd lost - they seemed to wither initially and I didn't expect them to grow - they've begun thriving, and I can't wait to see if I get much of a harvest out of them.

Something about the brightness of all of these white flowers over the lush green is so refreshing. Even the weeds look nicer right now in comparison!

In preparation for the season, I've decided to try my hand at raising some seeds in trays for a head start. For the first time I will be growing things I've already tried my hand at before, but why stick to something easy when I could have a challenge instead? After a little googling I decided to make some seed raising mix, since the components were quite cheap and all easily available at my local hardware store (I swear I spend as much money there as I do on groceries!).

The mix has two parts compost to one of vermiculite, one of coconut coir and a quarter part of manure. My trays have watermelon (allsweet), chilli (razzamatazz and thai rainbow) and tomato (red cherry, oxheart and black russian) seeds planted in them. I'm not sure if they'll grow or not but I'm willing to give it a try - they're on my dining table at the moment, with a sheet of plastic tucked down over them. Hopefully I'll be paranoid enough about caring for them that I won't neglect their water: I imagine indoor plants are going to need more attention than the ones the rain can help take care of!

Finally, we have extended the yard for the chickens. I've already had enough run-ins with thorn splinters to know that I don't want to hand weed around the roses any more than I need to, and since the girls love eating weeds so much... I figured I'd let them handle this one for me, or at least get me a head start.

A few stakes and some chicken wire later and the rose bed is now part of their domain. I haven't been letting them out into it every day as I don't want them to come to expect it (and make a lot of unhappy noise if it doesn't happen) but for a few hours at least every few afternoons. Now that they settle themselves on their roost at night without extra help I know that I can trust them to head back in on dusk and not force me to chase them back inside to shut the pen up.

Pressing up against the fence on the right you can also see my excessive artichoke. It's grown to quite an intense size but at this point I feel like I'm committed - I don't want to give up on this one until I've seen some fruit!