Do you see that?  Hear it?  Smell it?  Spring is here.  Well it’s Springish anyway.  No, I’m standing firm, I’m sticking with Spring is here because I need a little push to get something done in time.  I need to build my planter boxes.

For the last few years it’s been my intention to build planter boxes.  I’m not much for pretty flowers or fancy shrubs but I really enjoy growing vegetables.  During the summer we eat right out of our garden, we use our herbs in brines for fish, we grill squash and make salads.  It’s a wonderful thing.  I can spend all day out in the garden sometimes while Mike’s at work and K’s at school.  And then summer vacation comes and it’s K’s project too.  She takes a basket or a bowl and strolls through the plants looking for ripe little tomatoes, pea pods and green beans.

Last year our plants didn’t do as well as in previous years.  Damn plants.  Damn soil.  Damn weather.  Damn something keeping me from the bounty that usually is my garden.

It’s made me determined though, that this year I will have my raised beds, I’ll have some nutrient rich soil delivered and my little plant darlings will have my time and love so they can grow big and strong.

And get in my belly.

This all started because the preschool K attended had one big fundraiser every year, they sold plants.  PLANTS.  In planters, in hanging baskets, in flats.  Flowers, herbs and vegetables.  Like I said before I’m not big on flowers, but supporting the preschool and getting some nice veggie plants and herbs… good deal to me.  So every year for 4 years I’ve started my garden with the tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and peppers from the preschool, planted the herbs in great pots and then headed over to our local farmers market (when it opens) to buy the rest of my plants.

This morning I placed my plant order with the little boy across the street.  He’s one of my last ties to the preschool so I don’t know what I’ll do next year…  My plants will be here April 30th, that gives me 27 days to build my boxes.

I hope I actually get it done this year.