There was heavy rain overnight from Monday to Tuesday, our fourth night in a row of it. We should enjoy spring rain. It cleanses the atmosphere, and cleans the house, driveway, and yard. Instead, I feel tension that garden planting is not further along. This despite the fact the growing season extended by 10-20 days over the last 50 years because of global warming. What is planted is thriving. It’s the remainder that has me concerned.
The problem is some of the seedlings are getting too tall for soil blocks and need to get into the ground. It has me changing the configuration of the plot I spent last week prepping, moving cucumbers in and delaying zucchini and squash until the next plot. I had wanted to plant celery and fennel is a separate plot, but I will make a row of them in the current one simply to get them in the ground before they become root bound. That’s how it goes in the garden, sometimes. Our plans must remain flexible.
Despite the travails, this has been a spring to remember. I lived in it as a human, undistracted by the political and social climate in which we find ourselves. In that, gardening is needed respite.
I attended a political event last Saturday and was surprised at how many Democrats are birders. I reported to our table I saw two loons on the state park trail and it caused a stir. A retired union member said he would make the trip to our state park in hope of crossing loons off his bucket list. Of course we were discussing Gavia immer, not the human form of loon.
Monday I took training from the county in how to check in voters at the polls. The county information technology shop made it easy for people who have never done this before to sit down and immediately begin. When we consider technology tailored to the task, this has to be one of the best I’ve yet seen. After two hours of training, I feel ready for my work as an election day poll worker.
On Tuesday I got outdoors and did what I could to advance the garden before spring slips away. What else is there to do after spring rain?
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