Spring Fever

Since I haven't complained about the weather in awhile, regular readers of my blog will no doubt be aware that there hasn't been anything to complain about, since weather-related whining is one of my favorite winter sports.

Lest you think that I'm reaching the road to contentment, however, let me assure you that it does pain me that the lack of a true "Spring season" here leaves much to be desired. In the Sunny South, spring lasts for at least two months, in which we enjoy 50 degree days of semi-sunny to slightly-overcast weather. Every tree has a halo of blooms, and the ones that can't actually blossom hide their embarrassment by leafing out as soon as they can. Driving through my parents' town is literally like entering a cotton candy convention of trees.

Then we have the not-so-Frigid-anymore-Midwest, in which we go from blizzards to ten-foot high corn in a matter of two weeks. Whatever happened to spring?

Yesterday the temperatures were a balmy 70 degrees, so our little family headed outside to do some much-needed yard work. (There's still a lot of much-needed yard work to do, sadly). We have a huge garden every summer, related in part to the fact that my husband was part of a large family when he was growing up (okay, well, he's still part of that large family, since they haven't dis-owned him. Yet.), and I don't think he's realized that the amount of food a family of four can consume over the winter is much less than a family of 9, several of which are boys. (I think there were 9. I lose track, and I don't want to take the time right now to count all the siblings off on my fingers. There were a lot. And they ate. A lot. Still do.)

Since I don't have the patience to weed our humungous garden every day, we carpet our garden. Seriously. It works fabulously.

Here's the concept: simply place strips of carpeting between each row of plants. The carpet keeps the weeds from growing anywhere except between the plants themselves, holds moisture in the ground longer (relieving the need to water so often), and has the added bonus of teaching little toddling feet where they can and cannot wander. (Carpet = good. Flattening bush beans = bad).

Andy has to rototill the garden tonight, so he and Miss Boo rolled up our exclusive Brown Carpet in preparation. Notice the look of concentration on her face. Priceless! I just love child labor. All that bending over that I don't have to do. I can't wait till she gets older and I can make her mop the floors! Hee hee!

So what have I been up to? Knitting, of course! I knew I wouldn't be able to resist casting on some of that yummy yarn I bought at the Fiber Fair, so I didn't really even try very hard. Here's the first sock! I'm so in love with the striping and the colors! It'll most likely be too hot for my swollen preggo feet to wear these socks, but I don't care. They make me happy.

A happy, over-sized pregnant woman, that's me!

(Oh, you can turn off the blog music by scrolling down to the bottom and clicking on the pause button).