Sunday, April 13, 2014

TIGGER HOP

Spring has finally sprung after a grueling winter. The birds are merrily tweeting in the tree. They flit from ground to branch building a nest for the eggs that will be deposited soon. Plump squirrels that hibernated through the Polar Vortex are scrounging for food and preparing for the birth of their wee ones.

Sadly, the landscape is still bleak. Odd stuff and trash is revealed by the melting snow. Everything looks brown bland gray and gooey. Mounds of snow persist in the shade. Deep frost is slowing the thaw of the ground. Rain is wonderful but sometimes it puddles on the frozen earth and seeps into my basement.

Stashed away my winter coat and boots only to reluctantly drag them out for the April 3rd snowstorm. Cancelled my Friday plans to spend two hours clearing off the walkways and driveway. My wee but mighty helpful Toro snow-blower vibrated off a bolt, which secures the blower spout. I tried a regular nut to hold it but that rattled off very fast. I had to loop wire around but managed to secure the spout to finish blowing out the terribly heavy snow. I will have to seek the bolts when the snow melts, which started quickly because the sun is so very strong.

I deal in black gold, compost that is. After the compost bins freeze in the fall (generally in late November or early December) I place compostables in old gallon ice cream buckets. I stuff the bucket full and it sits quietly on my porch as tundra. However, as the weather warms so do the microbes. A nasty smell begins to permeate the porch but I cannot deposit the contents until I can scrape a hole in the compost bin. I celebrate the day when I can clear out the buckets and breath freely again.

Seeds were plunged into moist soil starting in January and some have sprouted. The tiny buds of peppers and tomatoes. I plant a few more pots every other week or so with a variety of veggies. I strive to ensure that they don’t’ all ripen at the same time. I had to divide the tomato plants and will have an abundance to share with others, plants in the spring and fruits in the summer. I don’t’ like to consume raw tomatoes but they are welcomed at the food shelf and by my friends who do not have a garden plot.

Look Ma, no coat!!
Copyright © 2014 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved

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