winter

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Sometimes time flies, even when you aren’t really having much fun. The last part of February and the first part of March it seems I got very ill. I don’t know what it was for sure, but it did beat me down. But I got up again. And you’re never gonna keep me down. OK, no more song references in this post.

Anyway, I am back now and thought I’d update you on March activities.

First off, I started several tomato plants from seed. This is a yearly tradition in the spring, and I set many of them out myself, while giving many away to family and friends, too. This year I have about thirty varieties growing, including numerous low-acid types.

Picture: Tomato Plants

As evidenced in the picture linked above, I use my washer and drier as heat mats to aid in germination and growth. These seedlings will soon be moved into pots with soil where they will be grown to 8-12″ tall, then transplanted outdoors. The plants got a very fast start this year, and I am going to be a little ahead of myself if I guess right, so it could get interesting in May (hope we don’t have any late frosts!). To the left of the tomato flat is a muffin tin with peppers, which have yet to poke through.

Another March item has been the beginning of the end of Christmas. I have begun, finally, taking down all of the Christmas lights outside. I meant to get to this earlier during some unseasonably warm weather in January or February, but it seems like it never came. Then the above-referenced illness showed up and I didn’t get much done. No pictures, but you get the general idea.

Finally, I recently took in the annual Dunlap St. Patrick’s Day parade. Again, no pictures (I don’t know why but I forgot to take pics!).

So if you’ve been missing me and wondering what I’ve been up to, it is summed up as follows: very ill, starting seed, un-decorating, and St. Pat’s. There, you’re all caught up.

I’ll do my best to keep up to date through the rest of spring.

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This is a wonderful time of year for me. While I take part in the Christmas rush every year, there are many other reasons why I love this season so much.

First, I love winter, and in particular I love so-called inclement weather. For some reason, I like it when it is cold and gray. I always have. Whether it is a snowy day or a rainy day, while others sit inside and wait for the sun to come out, I am usually outside, experiencing the weather. From the first onset of frost in the fall to the last blizzard of spring, I am in the cheeriest of moods. Don’t ask me to explain why, but for me what most call “inclement” is just fine.

Secondly, I’m a big fan of planning and reviewing and this is when I do my goal setting and progress checking. I have several new ventures to track in 2008, including the one you are reading now. So I’m thoroughly enjoying setting up tools and metrics to do just that.

Finally, I have a budding interest in gardening (pun totally intended) and I have just started receiving seed catalogs in the mail. So far my favorite is from a small company in Missouri called Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. It is run by a young man and his wife and is dedicated to purveying quality heirloom seeds. Web site address: http://www.rareseeds.com

What’s your favorite time of year?

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