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| My Garden Shed |
Beyond the open front porch windows, the sun shines brightly as birds croon and blades of new grass peep through the ground. I could drown myself in those beautiful rays of light. It’s unusual for me to ‘dress up’ for Easter, but this year I’m craving flowery prints for clothes and linens to celebrate the season’s rebirth. Although the scorching hot days of summer will soon be upon us making us head for the pool for a break from the heat, I say pump up the mercury on that thermostat, baby!
Cleaning is another seasonal blessing I’ve eagerly awaited knowing how miraculous it is to clear out the clutter and get a fresh start on the upcoming growing season. This year we plan to expand our veggie plots with additional raised garden beds on the south side, but within close proximity to the garden shed to make tending easier. My husband and I eagerly pour over seed catalogs carefully inventorying what’s needed and how we’ll rotate crops to extend the growing season. We also intend to make better use of the fresh raspberries, gooseberries, and mulberries that grow around our farm (perhaps even freezing extra cobbler for later).
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| Daffodils from my Paris, IA garden |
The anticipation has me rethinking the old adage ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder.’ Winter was likely just as long this year as last year and the year before that, but the greater number of gray days and never-ending piles of snow made the season
feel much longer than usual. This heightened expectation has exaggerated my response to earth’s renewal making it so much sweeter. For some reason, the thought reminds me of dieting. The first time I went on the Atkins diet, weeks and weeks with no bread made me moody and edgy. When I finally allowed myself to eat some bread, I swore it was the sweetest tasting morsel I’d ever eaten.
Of course, now I’m hungry for fresh raspberries and vanilla ice cream. Even though I’ll have to wait a few months to taste that mouth-watering dessert, it will undoubtedly taste sweeter than ever. Until then, I’ll be watching for those first crocus, daffodil, and tulip bulbs of spring to emerge from their restful slumber. They will be a welcome site for my winter weary eyes.
