Mild winter days

The thing I love about Kansas is the mild weather. Sure, it's not always mild here, but when it is, I will sing its praises. Today it is sunny and in the mid 50s. In my short 3-year experience of Kansas life, I have found that there are always a handful of days in February that are lovely. In fact, the first day that I can run outside in shorts usually falls in February. (Then it goes away for a couple of weeks).

It is these types of days that surprise me. During the winter, I don't look at the weather daily. I just expect that since it is February that it is going to be cold. So, I was delighted this morning when I took the recycling out to find that I did not need my coat. Spring is coming! (I even hung up some laundry outside to dry in the sun).

I really want to fling the windows open. But it is too soon for that activity.

However, it is not too soon to start thinking about this upcoming garden season.

The past few years, I am always itching to garden during the winter months. However, I think I over exhausted myself last summer with my gardening that when I finally got the chance to not thinking about it, I did not go back. Today was my first reminder that it is coming and with my crazy work travel scheduled I need to have a decent plan that is not too over the top, (especially since I am still working on my canned food).

I did kick off the garden season today, in a very small way. I finally got around to turning the compost pile in the hopes that I will be able to use it on my garden in a few weeks. I also planted some spinach in my cold frame. (Hopefully, I will remember to take care of it. I am terrible about things in cold frames).

I am excited about the possibility of a more manageable garden this year, with only 2 plots instead of 3, both of which are close to water sources. I am hopefully to get a soaker hose too, which will make life so much more manageable. More importantly though, I am hoping to learn my previous mistakes and have a better garden than ever before.

So here is to these beautiful mild days and to the upcoming greens that will pop up in my garden and on this blog.