The garden lately:

• A kind neighbor (who I believe is also a Master Gardener) gave me these fantastic seed saving kits. They came in very handy today when I discovered I had left two packets out in the rain, and another was soaked by some wet kale in the grocery bags.
• Alden finally got his hands dirty this weekend, helping me clear out the bed along the back of the garage. I am hoping that next weekend I will be able to finally plant all of our little seedlings. Then I suppose I should work on the front yard, which is honestly a bit of an eyesore. Sorry, neighbors.
• I hosted the first meeting of our neighborhood Garden Club. I wish I had been more organized, but it was small and sweet, and I was happy anyone showed up at all!
• I have been thinking about putting a redbud tree out front, as our street is lined with beautiful old sycamores, but our house does not have a street tree. A redbud seems perfect to me, and look, a happy little volunteer seems to be growing under the Japanese Maple out back! I am hopeful that I can transplant it.
• Between the cat’s illness involving a couple of emergency vet visits (and me being convinced he was not going to make it) and a child needing a tooth pulled, I have been more distracted than usual. Trying to focus on the garden helps me to unwind, as does crafting for a few swaps. More than a few, actually. I just sent off hats for one, and am now working on four more that end this month or early next month. I seem to need to keep busy when I’m stressed. The trick is to not allow the fun things to become stressful. I’m finding the endless rain to be a little bit of a help now, as it’s so much easier to justify staying home and tending projects here when spring isn’t screaming her siren song.

This week has been a lot so far, but today I caught up on some sewing and laundry, and finally started the bigger kid on his state-mandated standardized test. It was nice to just quietly cross items off my list.

Speaking of lists:

• Sized my children’s hat up to adult size, for a gardening themed swap. I’m excited to make one for myself. (Unseen sewing included beginning another pants order for a repeat customer. Note to self: document the making process!)
• Brunnera, given to me by a favorite neighbor.
• What the heck is that broccoli-looking stuff growing in the ivy in the front yard?
• Pretty daffodils in the backyard. Among just a few flowers that came with the house and surprised us.
• Our weeping cherry, sparking joy.
• Maybe a hydrangea? I don’t remember a hydrangea being here, but it might have been butchered right before we moved in, like the forsythia. I’m excited to see what this turns out to be.
• Sunset behind the healthier of our two Pieris japonica.

Of course I just remembered that I need to design the flyer for our neighborhood egg hunt, so off I go to do that one last thing before bed.