Hot

I know just how it feels. But it’s nothing an icy cold g&t won’t cure. Cheers.

Show off

If a garden magazine editor or any fellow gardener ever asks to see your garden, say, “Come on over!” even if it’s a weedy mess. Even if you haven’t watered and the tomatoes are runts, the cardoon has fallen over, and the blue fortune, or whatever the hell that thing is in the front bed that might be a weed (you don’t know), is wilted. Even if the lawn is crispy dormant (except for those weird patches of “weeds”) and your containers look like hell. Because you never know what she might see that you can’t because the weeds, wilt, and hell are in your way.

I think Michelle from Fine Gardening saw (and posted) the only truly cool combination in my garden. But I have to admit that until she enthused about it, I just thought, “oh gawd. It’s all very big and crowded…”

And I’ve been more focused on the pretty almost cool teasel combinations. I’m not sure Michelle even noticed those but then, the dotted mint wasn’t quite blooming yet…

(full disclosure: the day before Michelle’s visit, it rained and nothing in my garden was wilted. Only weedy. And she was very kind about that as most fellow gardeners would be. And that’s why you should never be scared to show your garden off.)

Have you shown off lately?

Follow through

Spring (I mean late winter) is the ultimate reminder to follow through on promises. I’m not much good at that. I’m happy to start something – like a half a dozen drafts of blog posts – but not so good at following through (half a dozen drafts unfinished). Nature always fulfills her promise though even if it looks like there’s no rainy-way she’ll be able to. And every once in a while even I have it in me to keep my word. I’ve been promising for years to go back and visit friends and family in Seattle and my chosen flight flies Thursday – with me on it.

In the garden, as per usual, I am also making promises. While I’m away Z will get busy installing a window in the shed (he has no problem with follow through). And that of course means that this year, as soon as I’m back, I have no excuse not to follow through and paint it. I intend to hold me to it. And I’m saying it out loud – again – in hopes that another public declaration will fortify my typically shaky resolve.

I have also recently made a commitment to write a column – bi-monthly at least – for a local weekly. Which is cool but so far, harder to follow through with than I thought it would be. (You guys are much easier to write to. – why is that? ) And meanwhile, perversely, I’m finding it the most difficult to keep my promise to this blog. So in honor of spring’s promise I’m renewing mine. Whether or not I actually follow through.