Sproutlings!

The pansies and chamomile have begun sprouting! I wasn't sure how well the chamomile would germinate so I sprinkled a LOT of seeds per plant cell in my seed-starting flat. I don't know why on earth I thought they would be less likely to sprout just because they are nearly microscopic in size, LOL!!

Have misplaced the camera or I would take some photos (not that they would be exciting yet, given the barely-sprouted nature of these sprouts).

Something I love about this time of year is that the weather is so variable. Today for instance it has been cloudy, chill and rainy. So rather than clear flower and garden beds outdoors I've been staying cozy indoors with a hot drink and my stitching. Mmmm.

A little chill in the air is nice when doing vigorous yard-work. I don't, however, enjoy working in the rain unless I absolutely must.

It will be curious to see what sprouts next. In this round of starts there are also bunching onions, sweet Williams, eggplant, bee balm, gaillardia, four o'clocks and snapdragons.

I'm a bit of a wild and irreverent gardener. Flowers and veggies and herbs get tossed together and planted wherever they seem they ought to be. And that means a riot of color everywhere, and tasty things to eat tucked into any corner of the yard at all. Love it!

There is a certain beauty, too, in a well-ordered strictly vegetable patch or decorative floral/herbaceous border. I enjoy looking at such gardens, and even spending some time in them. But what makes my soul sing is something a bit less structured, a bit more wild.

End of the month I'll start some more seeds. Each year I try something new, both in plants to grow and methods of gardening. This year I'm experimenting with Gardening by the Moon. I'm also trying onions, new varieties of peppers and tomatoes, and a few more herbs.

Ahhh, Spring!

As the Drum turns

A drum carder for carding fiber, that is. I got to play with one yesterday, and while I don't much care for the feel of fiber still "in the grease", I absolutely love drum carders! I have little patience for much of the "fleece to yarn" process, and if I had to hand card a fleece to spin it into yarn in order to knit or weave garments to keep me warm... I'd have to migrate or freeze, LOL!

But my preference is still strongly for acquiring yarn already in the state known as yarn, not as fleece or rollags or plies or any of that.

What is fascinating to me is how each of us have arts and crafts that call to us and really resonate with us, as individuals. My good friend loves all this fiber & fiber processing stuff. Loves it. Like fish love swimming.

Truly, I can see the appeal of carding and spinning. There is a rhythmic hypnotic quality to it that is pleasant. Getting lost in the pile of rollags and the rhythm of twisting fiber into plies and time flitting by, "coming to" when you reach the end of your pile and realizing an afternoon or morning or evening has been whiled away and glorious beautiful beginnings of yarn are on the bobbin.. that does sound a bit alluring.

But not as alluring as just giving the fleece to my friend who loves this stuff and some day getting back something that looks wearable! :)

I suppose I ought to begin

I've been trying to decide what sort of blog I want to write- something herbal, something crafty, something personal, something gardenish. I just cannot make up my mind!

The one thing I do know is this: there are so many fingers of shadow in the world that I want this place to be one where seeds of joy and light are sown.

How on earth I'm going to accomplish this I've no idea. Other than to just begin, I suppose.

It is spring where I live. The crocus are emerging, the ice and snow retreating, and I'm dreaming of seeds and soil, gardens and greenhouses (literally! Had a lovely dream last night about beautiful glass seed beads mixed in with my potting soil.)

All things seem possible in Spring.

Welcome, and Blessed Be.