As I write this article, I’m looking out my window watching three doves take a bath in our birdbath.   After a long and frosty winter, it really seems like spring has made her move.

Wheelbarrow Ride

I can’t believe the temperatures were well into the mid ’50’s all weekend.   I thought I would never be able to rid myself of my heavy coat and hat.  Don’t get me wrong; I’m not naive;  this is New England, so I know the cold and ice will be back before I know it — we may even get another snow storm.  But in the meantime, I’ll heed the buddhist teachings and live in the moment.   And, what a great ‘moment’ this weekend has been!  My family and I were outside getting a headstart on all our spring cleaning.  We raked leaves, cleared out flower beds, and checked for signs of life.

Budding Daffodil

The kids rode around on their bikes, and I even took out the old skateboard for a spin. (don’t get me going on skateboards…I’m not that good, but good enough to ride one home from Manhattan to Prospect Heights during the big blackout of 2003).

But, the biggest coup of all was getting our first veggie crops planted in the garden.  Jon had noticed that a small patch of spinach had managed to survive the winter in our mini-polytunnel.  It was suprisingly balmy under that plastic canopy.  I figured if that little patch of spinach could pull through, maybe we could give it a go with some of the early veggies.  So, we put in arugula, kale, mixed greens, peas, and carrots.  I’ll keep a close eye on them over the next few weeks to see what sprouts.  If all goes well, I’ll do an updated post with some pics of our seedlings!

The Poly Tunnel

Spring Spinach Shoots

Spring definitely gets me in the mood for fresh veggies.  Although it’s still too early for most of us to pick anything from our own gardens, did you know that you can still buy fresh produce at certain farmer’s markets in the winter? For those of you lucky enough (like me) to live in Rhode Island, the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmer’s Market is open from Nov. 7 – May 29. I’ve also enjoyed going to the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan and the Grand Army Plaza and Fort Greene Farmer’s Markets in Brooklyn year round.   And, remember, only two more weeks until the official start of Spring!

Hanging Out In The Trees

Helping With the Yard

Tags: family, gardening, spring, vegetables

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