Back in the loop

I believe that voluntarily unplugging yourself from the real world for a few days is a healthy mental and physical exercise. We spent a week recharging our batteries in Florida where it was generally warm and sunny. However, we arrived home just ahead of a powerful nor'easter that knocked out our power for an additional four days which left me feeling seriously out of the loop. What? No blogging? No emails? No American Idol? I tried to imagine myself a pioneer, but reading in bed to the light of a candle and sleeping in my thermal ski wear quickly loses its appeal. Anyhow, after waiting patiently all winter for the skies to clear and temperatures to rise, all of a sudden I am scrambling to catch up. What a difference a week makes. Looking carefully, you can see small signs of activity outside in the garden.
Tender green shoots of chives and daffodils are coming up through the leaves, the garlic has grown a couple of inches, and most amazing of all, the tulips which were planted in the soggiest part of the garden and sitting in pools of water after every rain are showing signs of life. Seeds of onions, scallions, leeks, and thyme have germinated in the greenhouse. I love working in the warmth of the greenhouse and watching the seedlings develop. I am lucky to have found such a good place to start my seeds. I feel a positive energy when I am there and the plants seem happy. This week, I seeded a tray each of beets, Napa cabbage, and lettuce and several small pots of cilantro.
I put up a trellis in anticipation of sowing pea seeds around April 1st. I am still flipping through pages of seed catalogs and ordered several more interesting varieties of tomatoes and several packs of lettuce and early greens. My plan is to try growing a baby lettuce/ greens mix in trays, first in the greenhouse and then outside in cold frames. Apparently, the seeds can be sown in a mixture of compost and peat moss and can be ready to harvest in 14 to 21 days. If true, I can potentially have fresh garden greens to eat by mid April- very exciting! Plans for the weekend include staking out an area to grow dahlias and zinnias, dividing the dahlia tubers, cleaning up the herb bed, starting the compost pile, putting up my own greenhouse, and contacting my gardening buddies to come over and help me! A weekend working outside in the garden- I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing!
Costs:
More seeds 94.00
Plastic trays 50.00