Itchy.

I planted a bunch of seeds the other day. Two kinds of tomatoes (reisentrube and another I can't remember right now), broccoli, lemon basil, fennel, dill, peppers (habaneros, jalapenos, cayennes, and poblanos so far) and cucumbers. I know that cukes are meant to be sown directly into the soil, but it worked last year and the earliest ones were the only ones that the blasted pickle worms didn't get to. On the flower front, I have zinnias, moonflowers, nicotiana, and hollyhocks (the ones I got last year should flower this year, so I figured I would start another batch- that way they'll bloom next year, when this year's are on break, and so on). I have yet to order new seeds this year, but I have my eye on a lemon pepper and a variety of cherry tomato called black pearl, which purports to have a "concord grape-like flavor when served chilled". Count me in.

I also put some onion bulbs in yesterday, and spent an hour ripping out some particularly feisty wild blackberry vines (we never get to them before the birds do anyway, and the thorns really suck) and cleaning up a boxwood shrub on the side of the house. My hands are pretty ripped up, despite the fact that I wore gloves, because again, the thorns really suck. But the area looks a thousand times better already, and now I get to plant something there that I actually want. Maybe lavender.

I have been itchy to get the garden going again. Working with plants is great, but it isn't the same when it's not in my yard. The great news is that I have managed to get a few real bargains because I was in the right place at the right time. The daffodils I salvaged from work won't bloom again until next year, but the price was right so I don't mind. I have yet to see which of my perennials survived the drought. Most of them are planted over the septic tank, though, so I have high hopes.