March Melt

   This post might be boring for anyone visiting the blog, but will be useful to us as a reference in years to come.  I wish I'd taken more pictures and noted the Spring weather conditions more in past posts.  Winter weather, and to a lesser degree, Spring weather, has changed a great deal since I moved to the area 20 years ago.

   It is noon as I type this (Friday, March 30), sunny and 10 degrees.  The sunshine feels so nice!  Much of the snow in the yard has melted - the remaining snow is next to the lilac bushes, the sheds, and from the sheds to the street on the south side of the property.  The north side of the yard is sopping wet and we have spent the last week pumping the water that always pools near the (north-corner) foundation of the house out into the alley.  A bit of a nuisance, but better to direct it into the alley than allow it to cascade into the basement.  I am a little worried that the garlic, which is planted in the middle of the north garden this year, will rot if the garden doesn't dry out soon. It has been a large, sopping square a mud with puddles for the last few days. 

I started some kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, and cauliflower in milk jugs a few days ago.  Most have already germinated!  A few more jugs to plant with additional cabbage, and that should do it.

   R. went out to get some potting soil for the transplants and came home with some nice impulse-buys as well.  :)