I found my sidewalk this week when the weather turned nice. There it was under the mushy snow that has been accumulating on my front sidewalk. We were able to take advantage of the weather and remove the snow, exposing the cement.
During those few nice days this week, we had the opportunity to talk with a few of our neighbours on the street. The nicer weather brings people out, and we can share stories as we walk past, or arrive home from work.
But along with the friendly banter with neighbours comes the familiar sound of sirens. It was the nice weather that increased the sirens in the background. Then as cold weather returns, the frequency of the sirens fade again.
We look forward to spring, taking the bad along with all the good that we have on our street. I started vegetable gardening last year in my North End yard, adding variety to the few perennial plants I brought with me from Fort Rouge. This year I hope to increase my gardening again, with more flowers and more varieties of vegetables. And this is the time of year to start thinking about the garden, and what might be going into it. I planted some pepper seeds a few weeks ago, and put them in the window. Three of the five varieties have sprouted so far. I am hoping to put the pepper plants out in containers during the summer, and bring them inside when winter comes. I know pepper plants are perennials, and grow year round in warmer climates. So, I am curious what might happen if I keep them year round, putting them outside during the summer months.
I used to garden a lot when I was in Fort Rouge. The front yard was full of perennials, and the back yard had both flowers and vegetables in it. This is the first year that I started seeds indoors since moving to the North End. Slowly, my gardening here is becoming more of what I have been used to do. And slowly, the North End is becoming my home.
Last spring I decided to incorporate vegetables into the mix, and dug up the dirt, broken pieces of cement, glass, bottle caps, and whatever, that was my front yard. I split the perennials, and spread them out so they would grow even more, hoping to make the front yard a much happier place than it was. I also planted some potatoes I found, which had taken root. They turned into a few nice handfuls of edible product. With our early spring last year, I decided to throw some tomato seeds into the ground in late April. By the end of May, when tomato plants were available for purchase, my seedlings were well on their way, and were in stiff competition with the tomato plants I had purchased.
Ah, memories. And thoughts of Spring, which is just around the corner.
I love Spring, even with the sirens and all the crazy that I know will come with it. I can't wait for Spring to come to my little part of the North End.
