Spring Plans

Is it cold where you are? Currently I'm under a quilt and the heat is on, and it's like 40 degrees outside. I don't know what I'd do if I lived somewhere actually cold, even if I was in D.C. again. Naturally, in desperate times like this, I start thinking of better days: spring.

For a few years, I've dreamt of a garden. Maybe this is because I grew up with a green-thumbed mother. Maybe this is because Nicholas and I love food and love cooking, so growing our own food to use when we cook just seems like the next step. Or maybe this is because I don't have enough hobbies and one more never hurt anyone. But it didn't matter because we lived in a tiny apartment on the first floor, no window boxes, no sunlight, so plants were but a dream.

Now, thanks to the magic of low housing costs, we live in a house with a yard. Since we moved I've been gathering information on how to make our dreams come true. I've decided we need a small greenhouse, which my mom had in Florida and which worked wonderfully during the winter. This will come in handy for seedlings, because we have some kitties who love to dig, and soil doesn't work well with carpet. I'm also going to start composting, thanks to my lovely aunt who has advised me on the subject. It tugs at my hippie dippie heart strings when I throw away coffee grounds, tea bags, strawberry tops, and banana peels--those can be recycled! A tumbler composter will be installed as soon as I can get it.

I also bought some seeds today! I bought all our seeds from Urban Farmer online, but I do plan on visiting Whole Foods and the nurseries near us for a few other varieties. I chose Italian basil, cilantro, Parisian carrots, cosmic purple carrots, Easter egg radishes, French breakfast radishes, Cherokee purple tomatoes, and Nick's favorite, San Marzano tomatoes. A little much? I've never grown anything in my life, but I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

I also bought an ice cream machine today, the Cuisinart ICE-21TQ in turquoise, to match my KitchenAid mixer, of course. I've been coveting it for a year or so, but I didn't have the money or counter space in Maryland to support such dreams. Now I do, and while I don't eat a ton of ice cream, Nick does. I love cooking and baking so making ice cream for Nick (or friends) to enjoy makes me happy. I bought the cookbook Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams At Home, trusting the brand and the unique flavors. I'm so excited to try these recipes and Nick has already started thinking of some ideas for our own recipes.

Spring is going to be an exciting time around here: food, new bikes, flowers. You should all stop by because you'll probably go home with ice cream and radishes, a surprisingly amazing combination.