New Beginnings

It has been a wonderful Spring for me so far, I must say. On many fronts. For example, work is trundling along steadily, with small but regular landmarks in my project being set and met, and the garden is planted with lots of new vegetable plants that carry promise for tasty treats in the months to come. In the mornings the garden has a cacophony of sounds from all sorts of birds, all determinedly busy with whatever it is they think needs to get done that morning. It is good to start that day hearing all that activity. (Fully half of that sound comes from a remarkably energetic Northern Mockingbird that manages to run through several distinct birdsong choruses at high volume while flying from tree to tree in the neighbourhood. It is almost as though it is trying to create the illusion that there are several mockingbirds in residence…) In the photo you can see a pair of mourning doves (the same pair I think I spoke about earlier), surveying the activity in the air and on the ground below.

There’s a feeling of promise, hope, and growth all around at this time of year. It’s everywhere. A nice surprise waited for me early last week. I was filling the kettle at the sink for my first cup of tea of the day one morning and noticed something green in my peripheral vision. I looked up at the window sill and there were newly sprouted plants that had appeared overnight! It is impressive how much growth can reveal itself in such a short period. See image right. They are butternut squash seeds that I’d had sitting there for over a year and thought I’d pop into some soil and water them. I’d entirely forgotten about them, so it was a surprise to see them all straining valiantly to reach for the light all of a sudden. A day later and there they are (image on left)… And then a few days after that (image on right):

I’ve run out of room in the back garden for new plants, and so I’m going to have to start a butternut squash patch somewhere else and hope for the best. If they all survive and produce, I’m going to have to have butternut squash soup parties or some such activity.

It certainly has been a very pleasant Spring so far for me. I hope it continues this way, and I hope yours is good too.

-cvj