Hope Springs Eternal

That’s what I think every time I look out at my garden.  I forget how I let the thing go to hell in a weedy hand basket last summer and I vow that this time, this year, I’ll keep on top of everything and we’ll have much better harvest with many fewer weeds.

Of course, I’m getting older and that sort of rosy viewed look at the world is not as compelling as it once was.  But still.  I think things will be better.

For one thing, we’ve scaled down this year’s garden a great deal.  I’m only planting lettuce, garden peas, chard, runner beans, leeks, radishes, beets, okra, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes.  (Sadly, that’s a lot, lot less than I planted last year).  I’m also planting some sunflowers and a cutting flower garden to take up space and make it pretty. 

For another thing, the asparagus and strawberry beds from last year have already been put in so now we just have to weed them and enjoy them.  And yes, there’s already a 3 foot asparaguy out there that needs to be trimmed back.  I think that this year, I can harvest lightly and then next year, we might be able to eat a meal or two of them.  After that, I think they are ready to be fully snacked upon. 

This afternoon, I planted the first row of lettuce and the first row of garden peas.  I’ll replant more in a week or so to help draw out their season.  The problem is that I already know that I have to replant seeds every couple of weeks, but then I get lazy and we end up with a lot of unplanted seeds and one big crop of food, like salads every day for two weeks and then nothing. 

Well, fine.  Whatever.  I think the actual important part is the planting and how it makes me feel hopeful.  It makes me believe that everything is going to be fine this year and it’s all going to get easier.  It’s a lie I tell myself, but in the spring, it’s such a beautiful one. 

And for those of you outside the south or who are soon to be moving to the south, let me tell you how beautiful things are getting around here.  The trees are blooming, the tulips are up, and within a few weeks the dogwoods and azaleas are going to shout out their love.  There is nothing in this world better than the spring in the south.  It’s really, really hard not to be hopeful when there’s so much of this natural joy around us.

And on a darker note, I’d like to say that if my unexplained fatigue at this exact instance is any indication of how sick I’ve been feeling and that I don’t know what it’s like to feel healthy, then I agree.  You are right.  I am sick and I don’t know what healthy is.  I can’t imagine not feeling as exhausted as I normally do.  When am I supposed to start feeling better?  Anybody want to make a bet? 

4:01:50 PM