Best Laid Plans

Back in early March when we were experiencing record breaking warm temperatures it was hard not to get excited about an early spring. On top of the mild winter, many things got off to an early start and it looked oh so promising but I stayed cautious, starting tomatoes and peppers indoors on about the same dates I usually do. Earlier this month I did succumb to temptation and seed a few things in the ground a bit ahead of schedule but nothing that couldn't take the cold if it happened. In my head however I was convinced that the garden would be pretty much in the ground or ready to be transplanted by May 1, about two full weeks ahead of normal. I was downright smug in anticipation of getting a good jump on things - not a chance will I be waiting until May Long weekend to plant this year! I'd be eating lettuce and greens by June 1 and snow peas soon after! It was going to be the BEST YEAR EVER!

And then that last remnant of cold and flu season I had all but recovered from dealt me one final blow.  I spent most of  Easter weekend in bed with a cough and a fever. By Monday I felt like I was breathing through wet cloth. By Tues I was barely breathing at all, which necessitated a trip to the hospital, followed by multiple rounds of antibiotics and steroids, and culminated in ten days off work. A long slow recovery was hampered by an allergic reaction to one set of antibiotics, and a digestive system all but destroyed by the combo of all the other meds. I lost my sense of taste, my sense of touch, my balance, and sometimes, control of  things that shouldn't be mentioned in polite conversation. At one point I gave up and slept wrapped in a towel. I don't think I've ever been so miserable in my life. My ears are still ringing  weeks after I finished the last pill but at least I can feel my hands and feet again. To say I was knocked on my butt would be putting it mildly.

Not surprisingly, a lot of plans fell by the way side. My tomato and pepper seedlings are almost all still in their seedling pots and haven't really done much -only a few were big enough to pot up today . And although I've managed to start a few other crops in the greenhouse at work, I've yet to sow any new seeds at home which means I'll be lucky to have anything ready to go in the garden by June 1. So much for that early start.


 It's not the end of the world of course; I've started my garden later than this and still had good results. In fact it may work out to be a blessing in disguise; all that warm weather in March has been followed by a colder than average April, with temps dipping below freezing at night all this past week. If things had gone as planned I'd have a bunch of leggy, house bound, overly anxious seedlings by now.  Things in the ground wouldn't have fared any better: it's been too cool to germinate most things and anything tender likely would have been lost to frost. The rapini I planted at the beginning of the month is only just beginning to emerge and so far there's no sign of the peas or lettuce. It's like the gardens are telling me there's no rush and for once, I'm content to listen.