In the coming month, the space by our east window (next to the dining room table, mind you) is going to look and feel like a greenhouse, complete with seed starters and the aroma of freshly watered planting soil. Yes, we went to the store this weekend and bought a variety of seeds: lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, broccoli, spinach and onion. I have the itch to start gardening soon.

There’s just one problem – a driveway now exists where my previous garden used to be. So this year I have one request of my husband (a.k.a. home-builder and Mr. Fix Anything): Build me a garden with beams that are screwed together at the ends and filled with soil so I don’t have a small pond every time it rains, and it must be in the direct sunlight, not close to our hedge of trees.

Oh, and along with that comes finding new kitties to keep the rabbits and birds away since the highway just claimed another victim, leaving me with only one lonely black kitty. (I guess that’s two requests.)

My grandmother, gardener extraordinaire, suggested I wait to start my indoor seeds until mid-March so as to plant in May. Last year I got the “crop” in a bit early and it was subjected to frost and cold rains. I’m not sure I can contain my excitement until then.

Are you planting a garden this year?

Until we walk again …