Dear Friends and Gardeners, Week Five

Dear Ones,

As I write this, the wind is howling around the corner of my oh, so, cozy kitchen, rattling the windowpanes.  After an 80F degree day yesterday, last night, another nasty Canadian cold front snuck across the Oklahoma border.  The forecasters are again talking about snow for the northwest part of the state.  I do love the Canadians, but I find their weather abhorrent, especially in April.  That’s why I live in Oklahoma where it’s usually warm, sometimes even during winter.

It’s Palm Sunday, and all through Mass, I dreamed of warmer climes than mine.  Tonight’s low is supposed to be 31F.  Not so bad really when you consider Tuesday’s projected low of 24F.  HH is busy working at the Diva’s ancient school today (rebuilding the main staircase), so guess who got to help me cover plants?

Even though they griped and complained throughout, those three were troopers in their stocking caps and scarves.  We managed to cover the poor, ailing Japanese maple hurt by a freeze two weeks ago, and anything else I had sheets for.  I did cover the vegetables.  The Diva said she’d rather have vegetables this summer than roses.  Maybe she isn’t such a Diva after all.

Me?  I’ll take roses anytime.  And daffodils, and lilacs and peonies.  Even when they aren’t in bloom.

Oh, dang, that reminds me.  I think I better cover the peonies too.  Their red leaves are topped with cranberry colored, swollen buds.  I think the cold might snap them in two.

As for the apples and peaches, the ones I eat won’t be coming from my yard this year.

The Diva, ASW and Bear will get extra wonderful baskets from the Easter Bunny next Sunday.  I promise.

Speaking of Easter, you know the big, family celebration is always at our house.  Remember that new front landscaping which I was so proud of and wanted to show off?  Hmmm . . . now what was it, that “goeth before a fall?”

This week, we are all just hunkered down waiting for the next two days to pass.  By Wednesday, it is supposed to be sunny again.  I’ll be cleaning house and such in preparation for the festivities next Sunday.  Ooh, afterward, I get to buy plants again!  Lent is technically over today, but not really, and you know giving up buying plants has been good for me.  It made me buy a lot more seeds for one thing, which are cheaper.  Seeds also added more diversity to my garden because I bought several unusual varieties.  Like I said, it’s been good for me.  Will I do it again next year?  Uhm, probably not.

Back to that nasty pride of mine, I have these two large containers by the front door.  They are filled right now with . . . nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  I’ve worried about how I can plant those pots before the family comes over, but I would be forced to do it Sunday morning.  This morning, while we eating breakfast at Jimmy’s Egg (an Oklahoma brunch-bunch institution), out of the blue, the Diva said,

“Give me your credit card, and I’ll go to the nursery and pick out plants for the front.”

(I wasn’t complaining.  I promise)  I told her she didn’t like plants.  She said that was true, but she couldn’t stand the pots looking all empty and sad.  Then, I said,

“You’re not going to put silk flowers out there, are you?”

Her green eyes twinkled.  She laughed and said “Of course not.”

She is always threatening me with silk flowers, the little scamp.  The question is, do I trust her to do the pots out front?  By herself?  I think I shall.

Til next time, I remain hopeful that spring will again come to Oklahoma.  By the way, how are things in your neck of the woods?

This series of letters are between Carol of May Dreams Gardens, Mary Ann of Idaho Gardener and me.  We’re conversing across the miles about the growth of our gardens.  Won’t you join us?