John Burroughs wrote, “What a severe yet master artist old Winter is…. No longer the canvas and the pigments, but the marble and the chisel.” Describes winter perfectly in the Midwest. I start seeds, indoors, every spring. After a frigid, marblesque winter (even though it wasn’t terrible this past year) I have a need to get my hands in dirt. The smell of the seed mix is really therapeutic, and going through the routine of planning, and researching and planting helps me practice mindfulness (which really helps me with stress). This year, I’d started them a bit later, and ironically, this is the most that have survived: varieties and volume! I really can’t plant them outside until after Memorial Day. I was supposed to make covers over our hoops to act as greenhouses, but I just didn’t get to it. Not completely my fault, in two weeks I’ll have a HS Freshman…My mind is all over the place. *heavy sigh*

Nasturtium 

Zinnias and Emily Basil

Teeny Monarda (Bee Balm, they’re all there, they’re just hard to see until the leaves open)

Peppers (four varieties)

Geraniums and Cilantro 

Tomatoes (six heirloom varieties)

Zinnias (eight varieties)

Marigolds (two varieties)

Purple Opal Basil 

Milkweed

One tiny Nemesia

Lettuce (two varieties, direct sow)

Beets (three varieties, direct sow)

Our chives. This guy has been with us for 24 years! Came from our first house, all the way from Michigan. ❤️