HAPPY MONDAY: WILD STRAWBERRIES
Spring is singing!
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The kids have started wild strawberries, beans, carrots, zucchini, salad, radishes and more.
One week ago, the kids recycled an old Lego container to use for planting seeds and jump starting their garden. (Oh, what plans they had for meals ahead. I was really rooting for them despite the fact we were still reaching almost freezing at night and when I looked out the window from my desk, I could still see two (admittedly small) piles of snow.) I began to imagine how I could rearrange our laundry room in order to give their garden dreams a chance; however, Mother Nature fooled me and the kids were right on track!
Yeah, kids!
Yeah, Mother Nature!
Their seeds have grown like wild fire all week and we’re working on the next steps for their outdoor garden; aka: kid’s version of a greenhouse. (OK, I’m hinting with some ideas we’ve run across.) In fact, I need to get a hop on our family vegetable garden, too. It’s amazing how much excitement just planting seeds is, isn’t it? The kids would literally run to check theirs out every morning. When did you last plant seeds?
On our lawn, crocuses and “vitsippa” are popping up every where; the bulbs we planted in the Fall need a midnight guard against our friendly neighborhood deer but, many are surviving, and to our surprise, our lawn in covered with wild strawberries (smultron) — blanketed. We live in an area that was once exclusively summer homes. It’s been a live-and-learn experience for us, in terms of what actually grows here and how. When we bought our house in the winter, I don’t think either one of us considered the lawn; but, when we moved in at the end of the Summer after not seeing it since it was blanketed with snow, we discovered that everything that had looked open in the Winter had turned into areas that were wild with raspberry briar patches encircling tall flowers that we couldn’t reach without armor, set against a backdrop of cool blueberries patches under shady pine trees. Although, we had only moved a 20 minute drive from Stockholm’s city center, we felt like we were far out in the archipelago here. Between nature and the whispers of hands that had worked this area 100 years ago, we’re learning as we go, but have enjoying it more than expected.
Whether you’re in the city or the country side, do you plant a garden? I’m told that the safe planting or frost-free period in Stockholm isn’t until June 1. Do you pay attention to the waves of Spring flowers? Do you prepare long ahead, do you just plant? Are you reluctant gardener or one with green thumbs? Have you experienced a move to a new climate which means re-learning what you knew about planting.
Welcome back and Happy Monday wishes! I hope Spring is singing where ever you live, too! (and, to you in the other half of the world: enjoy!)
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