You put a seed in the ground...

You put the seeds in the ground

And you spread the dirt around

Sprinkle water till it's coming up rosey

Then you give a happy shout

When you see a little sprout

And you smell it with your little round nosey

That's how you grow a little red ro-ro-rose

The Little Red Rose by Ellis Paul

Rosemary, mostly dormant

It's 66 here today. Four days ago it was 10 degrees and snow covered the ground. Such is the first breath of Spring in Tennessee. Two weeks ago it was about 60 for the first time in quite a while, so I went outside to prune the crape myrtle and plant a few seeds. I have noticed several spots where green plants seem to be overwintering...including some strawberry plants! This seems to me like reason enough try to go ahead and plant a few things in those areas just to see if I can get a headstart on the growing season. I started with some carrots, peas and broccoli and will add more of those, plus lettuces this week.

Here is a good example: this is oregano tucked down under the protective roots of a sage bush. There is also a bit of parsley in the garden that I have selectively harvested and I can only think it is well-protected by mulch. These areas get full sun all day and are near the house, so perhaps it creates a bit of a microclimate. Whatever the reason, it is apparent that some areas of my beds/garden seem protected from single-degree temperatures. Of the seeds I planted, I've seen some carrots coming up. I also can see some bulbs peeping through the mulch and I am very much looking forward to some flowers.

Gorgeous, isn't it? This is how an apple core turns into dirt turns into lettuce. Just the rich, earthy smell is amazing to me. I really thought compost would stink and in the summer it sometimes can smell badly...until it's turned. Even in August once I flip it with a pitchfork it just smells like, well, Earth. A beautiful bit of Earth.