Spring is in the air

I'm sure everyone is going to be blogging about it. I have to tell you though it doesn't smell like spring. There isn't that lingering fresh earth mixed with old dog poop in the air. But the snow is melting and the ground is dry and there are teeny tiny buds popping up in the ground. I think they're crocuses in the backyard.

I'm really, really excited about it. I have so many new plans for this year. I've decided to eschew square foot gardening and instead till up the ground. I have a large section that they all sit in, about 12 x 15' which I can probably squeeze to 20 x 20 when rockstar hubby isn't looking. I've been picking up books on potagers and I have grandiose ideas of planting vegetables within my flower beds. I also have a basswood twiglet in the ground, waiting to grow. Of course RSH will have to do the grunt work, but I don't think it'll be that bad. I know he's itching to play with a rototiller, so we'll just remove the boxes, till up the ground and plan. I've already started my geraniums (for the front window boxes and yes I know I've always complained about them in the past, but I just can't get past the bright redness of them that you can see a mile away) to be planted with some cut ivy that is growing wildly in the bedroom. Wave petunias, portulaca, two different kinds of asters, delphiniums and lupins... I'm still waiting for seeds from Vesey's and I might overdo it but I don't really care. I'm so excited to fill the gardens with beauty and now that the gaffer is 5 1/2 (good golly, when did that happen?) I can watch him less. We also have a new fence being put in and our patio! I can't wait to be walking on stones instead of gravel! And with the new fence, we are going to extend it down alongside the house to the very front so that we have an entire area dedicated to shade. It's in-between two houses and faces North, so it never gets any sun, but it makes for lovely coolness to sit in and sip green tea lemonade.
And strawberry season is coming. Oh the jams I want to try. Actually, I'm lying. I'd rather drink strawberry lemonade. If only it came sugar free! And no, I'm not doing aspartame or splenda or stevia. The stuff is vile. Even though I hanker diet coke sometimes.
But how am I supposed to get all that done? I have to write another book within 6 months. We're leaving for Paris in May, then North Carolina in June. I think housekeeping will get worse. But maybe I'll start doing my laundry at the laundry mat so I can get it all done at once and then do paperwork while I wait. Hm...hm...But then no clean clothes on the line...

I really need to move somewhere where there is gardening all year round.