We’re finally past the risk of serious frost and into gardening season here in the Great Lakes region! This newsletter is a short one, I’ve been out in the dirt and intend to keep being there for as long as the weather will allow. We’ve been weeding and planting and mulching like mad men over here. Our housemate, Z, surprised us with flowers for the garden bed in front of our house, including pansies upon pansies, forget me nots, bleeding hearts, roses, and lilies of the valley.

Our community garden is also in bloom. The fruit trees on the perimeter are showing off their flowers and the collards have already bolted, their flowering stalks rising high over my head. Even our little bed has a healthy smattering of spinach and lettuce, soon to be joined by peppers, carrots, and cucumbers. When we cleared the bed for planting, we brought some of the red deadnettle home and cooked it up to add some greens to our barbeque mushroom sandwiches. On our walks to and from the garden, violets are exploding across the neighborhood. Some of them have made their way into a tincture that’s steeping in a kitchen cabinet.

I’m really pleased with how all of our gardening ventures are going so far. It’s been nice to spend time in the dirt, to get to know the plants in the area, and add some new ones. My friend S, who manages our community garden, will be bringing seedings to share between all the gardeners soon and we’ll have a workday to plant them all. I’m looking forward to meeting the other people who we share the space with and seeing what plant babies they’re planning to raise this year. Most of all, I’m loving the street trees coming into their full foliage and scattering sun and shade in fractals across the sidewalks. Three years into living here, the seasonal changes haven’t lost their magic. Expect many more garden pics to come!

XOXO,

Jozef