Spring feels years away and, somehow, like it will arrive tomorrow. Our to-do list taunts us with its ability to regenerate two items for each one crossed off. But if tackling the beast means the promise of fresh eggs, a mountain of cherry tomatoes, and eventually honey and goat cheese… then game on.

Er, maybe. We experienced our second and third snow days this past week, and the temporary lake on our property has twice appeared and twice receded. With the forecast predicting rain for the next 40 days and nights, maybe we should push building an ark to the top of the list. But at least the ducks should stick around a little longer, and maybe a few more visits from the swans.

Meanwhile, daffodils have begun to emerge—by the front door, near the driveway, in the garden, in a pot we carted from California. The rhododendron look like they will bloom soon. Pictures from the previous owners indicate we can expect crocuses, as well. The sun is making a brief appearance as I write this and dream of planting the dozens of tulip bulbs waiting impatiently in the cold of the garage.

My fingers tingle with longing to dig into the dirt. (For some reason, picking kale in the wind and rain just doesn’t scratch that itch.) I organized my vegetable seeds a couple weeks ago, including the most recent order. (No, I don’t have a problem, why do you ask?) I like to look through the packets, pondering how past favorites might do in this new climate and looking forward to new ones. I started a Star & Sparrow garden notebook, meticulously listing of all the seeds and their days to maturity, a pertinent detail given our shorter growing window here in the Boistfort Valley.

This first spring, with our deep pool of projects, we plan to stick to the existing garden layout. It’s about 3,500 square feet with twelve low raised beds. Two are already dedicated to berries and one to horseradish and rhubarb. The remaining beds and the open area formerly filled with corn will need to house beans, peas, squash, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, onions, garlic, greens, corn, carrots, herbs, and more. So maybe I should narrow down my 26 varieties of tomatoes to a more reasonable number, like 25. No, really, what is reasonable?

The other day, I entered all the dates from the Boistfort Valley planting guide into my calendar. Come February 15, I will be starting seeds for artichokes, asparagus, onions, and spinach. Assuming we have our greenhouse in time. Bryon has been researching options, and we intend to order two 50-foot caterpillar tunnels this week. While we planned to start with just one and add another later, buying them at the same time will save $700 in shipping costs.

Fingers crossed that we stay married after the assembly… We’ll keep you posted!