Post-Groundhog Day signs of Spring

It's been such a wacky weather year all over the globe, one hardly knows what to think when it comes to the planting calendar. We had fine days last week, culminating in an absolutely balmy Saturday and could no longer resist the urge to play in the dirt. We mapped out the new beds we want to dig out in the veggie garden, then Mark rolled out nearly a 100 feet of black plastic to kill the existing grass and prepare the area for its new life as a food factory.

And, turning a blind eye to the date, I greedily thumbed through my seed packets, searching searching for anything that might weather a nasty late winter frost. We planted spinach and bok choi and swiss chard and broccoli in a bed that can support a cloche, so with a little luck we might be eating out of the garden as early as the beginning of March this year. Last fall's garlic has pushed up after its hibernation and is already 3 inches high!

Garden planning remains a challenge for both Mark and me - I still can't tell if we over-analyze it or just don't have our veggie legs yet. Maybe both.

But, it sure was fun to break up the dirt and get the beginnings of dinner in the ground. The chickens did their best to help and Middy informed us that nibbling blackberry bushes at the end of a leash is not her bag.

Let me know what you think of my little re-design! I figured it might just be time to shake things up a bit.