Fifty Days of Gratitude: Days 14 & 15

While today is apparently National Gardening Day, yesterday my Beloved and I ventured down to the Olympia Farmer's Market, where we purchased some herbs to plant. The Farmer's Almanac tells us that we are a few days shy of the danger of frost being past, but the sun has been shining and we are all lulled into a false sense that spring is here to stay. I hope we're right.

There's something so satisfying about stepping out the back door to snip some herbs for use in the kitchen: rosemary for the roast chicken or thyme to perk up scrambled eggs at breakfast. Every gardener knows that mint grows in a pot or else it will stage a hostile takeover of your whole yard, so our strawberry mint is safely contained and ready to liven our summer iced tea. The dill stands by to be sprinkled over salmon and sage promises the best brown butter for pasta.

We have some vegetables we've started from seed that will go in the ground in a week or so. And until summer flowers arrive, that's likely to be the extent of our gardening this year. We don't pretend to have the time or the experience to be full fledged gardeners, but we are definitely aspirational in our efforts.

For this beautiful day in April, I am grateful for gardens and all the joy they bring us. Yes, to spring! Yes to herbs! Yes to all that grows...even us.