The dinner conversation at out house the last two nights has centered around the garden. Yes, spring is upon us, and it is time to start planning for which veggies and fruits we're going to put into the backyard plot. We're developing our vegetable wish list, thinking about what we could can, freeze and eat off the vine. We're adding fruit trees and vines to our slice of urban agriculture, thinking of the jams, pies and juice in days ahead.
Admittedly, it is still very, very early for planning given that we shouldn't plant anything until at least May 15th in our growing zone, and the rule of 'green' thumb seems to be to wait until after Memorial Day. But the weather has us planting the seeds of our imagined garden, even if we must wait to dig our hands into the dirt.
Our garden is certainly a family project. At this stage, we are all envisioning fresh lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers in a few short months, while imagining the possibilities of adding perhaps sweet potatoes or asparagus to the plot. I take on the role of garden manager, planting, weeding and maintaining the plants. John is the heavy lifter and is always up for a run to Home Depot or a quick round of weeding. And the boys are my best little pickers, enthusiastically monitoring the growth of the plants until they are perfectly ripe and ready for the table.
Right now spring is invigorating our family. The fresh air is spurring us on to sneak in bike rides, afternoon walks, and quick runs to the daily routine. We're planning our backyard life of gardening, sandbox adventures, and sidewalk chalk of the months ahead. The fresh air spurred me on to look past the leftovers tonight and make a batch of Rempeyek Udang, giving me a little burst of energy to fry shrimp cakes with celery, onion and a bit a red pepper.
More importantly, we're breathing in the possibilities of new experiences, new recipes and new life even as reinforce the bonds of our family by working together on a garden the reflects the shared joy we have in refrigerator pickles, rhubarb cake, and garden salsa.
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