Friday, March 22, 2002

First day of spring...

...and I thought we might need some visual help to remember not withstanding the weather we are having. We awoke to the sound of rain, a comforting sound in this time of drought, and even more because it wasn't snow as the weather forecasters were suggesting last evening. We must have had about an inch of snow overnight but by the time I cleaned off Lin's car, it was a sloppy mess of icy rain and soggy snow crystals.

So I harkened back to the images from Saturday morning at the cottage and this is what I came up with: a visual ode to spring.

There are other hints of spring: some of the daffodils did in fact open their blooms only to be coated by ice from the rain. But the most promising of all is the four stakes in the lower yard I see from my office doorway. They mark the perimeter of the garden Jen will be tending this summer here at our place, an idea we welcome very much. Matt and she came over later yesterday afternoon to assist in marking out the lay of the garden. We have placed it below our back yard near the willow tree where our garden used to be. It is land that is fertile and more like not to dry out as quickly as up near the hedge. Furthermore the trees may shade the burning afternoon sun from the growing plants.

It is with anticipation that we will observe Jen's creativity in the soil, and yesterday she seemed quite ready to get into it. Sounded like some therapy after a rough day at school would have been welcomed.

Don't we all need more gardening in our lives...

jim