Spring Is In Full Force, and I Love My Garden

I wanted to write this Ink Blot over a month ago when the first signs of Spring were in the air—when I saw the first flowering tree stretch its long arms and show off its beauty. I am not a winter person; I don’t do well with cold weather. I love the idea of hibernation. Why can’t I be a bear? Why can’t I spend my entire winter snuggled in a warm spot, living off my own body fat? I run from house to car, from car to work, teeth chattering and with a constant chill I seem to pick up around November and can’t shake off until March comes along and kicks winter’s booty out of my way. And then the hotter it gets, the happier I am. I don’t mind sweltering Augusts at all. So no doubt at this point you realize, I am a happy gal right now.

I woke up a couple of weeks ago to, what I consider, a wonderful surprise. My single little zucchini plant in my lovely veggie garden had, not one, but two gorgeous big yellow blooms. I planted a small garden at the beginning of spring and have been babying it since. I’m very excited about it since it’s my first real garden since my Dad planted a garden every year as I grew up. Oh, I’ve had potted gardens, patio gardens, big planters with a single tomato or pepper plant—but nothing like I have this year. Every day after work (every day the ground is dry enough, that is) I crawl around it, up and down the rows on my hands and knees pulling up weeds, picking away the bad bugs, talking to each and every plant (speaking Spanish, of course, to my Cuban oregano plant in my herb garden), and cheering their individual growth. And now, it appears, I am starting to see the results of the time and effort. I’ve got a few fat, green tomatoes getting bigger every day, corn stalks up to my shoulder, and pea plants climbing their cages what seem like at least a foot every day. Not to mention pepper plants covered in flowers, okra plants that have finally decided to give some of the other guys a run for their money and actually become more than a little green stick, eggplants, an assortment of squashes, herbs, strawberries, lettuces, broccoli, carrots, onions, yummies, yummies, and more yummies. As I watch each fruit or veetable ripen, I can’t wait to pick it and sink my teeth into it. From the looks of things, soon I’ll get to pick a particular chubby green tomato that has to start turning red at any moment since it will be as big as my head by next week. I thought for awhile that I may, one day, get to taste on of my strawberries, but when I notice them turning red in the mornings as I leave for work, undoubtedly I come home to the Curious Case of the Missing Red Strawberry. I just figured my husband was enjoying their juicy deliciousness, but when I asked him he just laughed and said, “It wasn’t me!” So I guess somebunny—or somebirdie—is keeping his beady little eye on my garden just as sharply as I am. Someone has a sweet tooth!

So here we are finishing up May, with more Spring ahead and Summer still to come. I know that this year, for quite a while yet, I’ll have plenty of tasty veggies and fruits—if my hungry little friend decides to show any generosity—to keep my and my husband’s bellies full, and maybe even some to share! I think I’ll take a batch of fresh garden peas up to the Halls of Insty to share with my Super Family. Anyone else wanna stop by and give peas a chance? Peas, love, and happiness. Peas out, my friends. :-P

~Grace