Spring planning

I know that scientists have, after what were probably long and complicated calculations, determined that the vernal equinox now happens on the 20th of March, but as I am more like a fine wine (read: old), I still hold that the 21st is the first day of spring. Woot!

In truth, spring is not really my favourite season. In Montreal, you can always tell it has arrived less by a calendar date and more by the smells in the air. Namely, melting fertilizer/dog poop and thawing garbage that has been buried under a snowdrift for about 4 months. *sigh* Nevertheless, every year I look forward to it for two reasons: 1) a change - yes, the weather will probably be displaying symptoms of multiple personality disorder, but at least it won't be negative-Oh-Crap for weeks on end, and 2) I can legitimately start hauling out my seed catalogs and gardening books without having to worry about being considered too keen. Plus, planning a garden allows me to avoid spring cleaning for just a little longer.

I don't know what it is about gardening, as I really came to it quite late in life, but I love it. I'm hardly very good at it (I have never been able to grow a radish, which in it's own way actually takes talent) but I'm that weird person you see playing in the dirt with a smile on her face. I really do play in the dirt, too. I hate wearing gloves; for whatever reason, I am at my most serene with dirt under my finger nails. That is a family trait, though, as appartently my grandmother was exactly the same way. Which is nice to know, as this is the woman who at 90 still travels on her own! I've got some good genes, even if we are a little nuts sometimes.

So, I have a lot of re-reading to do tonight, which suits me just fine. I need to figure out how much space I will actually have to play in, which seeds I would like to buy, what will go into the raised beds and the containers, and if I'm going to try any vertical growing this year. Now here's the irony: I'll be planning all of this while eating take out. Go figure.

Enjoy!