The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Do you think there’s any chance that Bob Dylan was singing about Daylight Savings Time? I doubt it, but it’s always a welcome change to have longer days and know that sunnier ones are on their way. Mugsy had been preparing early in anticipation of the time change by waking up a little earlier each morning for the last week and a half. A few days ago, he was up an hour earlier, nudging me awake to let him out and feed him. I admit he has me trained.

Time and season changes turn very quickly as I age. In fact, everything seems to come earlier and faster than it used to. I imagine I will be seeing Christmas decorations appearing on store shelves shortly. It seems like only yesterday that Daniel and I came home from Portugal to the newly fallen snow.

Now he’s preparing to return to Europe for his Spring and Summer turn as a chef. In anticipation of his trip, he has been “speed gardening.” Planters have been filled, seeds sorted, and he prepared a long list of instructions for me to follow. He can only hope because when the cat’s away, this gardener will do as she pleases. I imagine we will also have a variety of bird plantings due to the flocks of birds eating from our feeders presently.

Meanwhile, I have my own long list; of friends and family who will be visiting while he’s gone. They will help me celebrate Spring Release, enjoy wine tasting, and visit and party while he’s away. I don’t think I will have more than a day or two of alone time.

I plan to recruit my guests into garden detail and maybe as scapegoats for not adhering to Daniel’s garden edicts.

I am trying to speed the garden cleanup along. Raking leaves is my daily pastime. Sprinkler heads are hiding under piles of now wet and slimy leaves. I see more and more tulips popping up in the yard through the unraked leaves. I know I didn’t plant them in the grass, but there they are.

And somehow, the daffodils I planted two years ago have finally decided to surface. The garden mysteries continue. I guess although many things speed through life, daffodils are not among them.

Next week, I must take a quick Los Angeles—the usual visits to clients, doctors, dentists, and dinner with friends. I arrive Monday night, take care of my appointments and enjoy dinner on Tuesday, then head home the following day on a 7:00 a.m. flight. Speed travel is my mantra when it comes to doctors and dentists, especially when there is a chance of rainstorms.

Meanwhile, in my rush to start the garden, I have planted radishes (my favorite foolproof crop), lettuce (the seeds were free, so worth a try), and I may add onions. I see the chives, parsley, arugula, and Swiss chard returning independently. I know the rush will begin shortly, and I will be knee-deep in dirt yanking out weeds while Mugsy and the birds enjoy watching me speed plant.