I hope this Monday finds you refreshed and recharged. We had spring-like weather on Saturday, more on the way this week. So exciting! I know it’s been warming up around the country, and I don’t know about you, but I’m really ready. I’m so looking forward to sunshine, warmth and most of all—green.

Yesterday the kids and I turned our kitchen counter into a mini potting shed and planted some seeds. I’m one of those people who love to play in the dirt—always have. As a child I got stuck in the mud one spring due to playing in the dirt. I had to be rescued by a neighbor. She actually had to pull me out of my shoes to return me to solid ground.

This could explain my preference for gardening on the counter—but really, I’m just impatient.

Counter top potting shed

Since I can’t hurry along the official start of spring, I thought it’d be fun to create our own little patch of spring inside and get a head start on the garden. There’s something very satisfying about playing in the dirt (without the risk of getting stuck.) And there’s something even more satisfying about planting a seed and seeing it grow into a vegetable or a flower later in the summer.

The plan this year is to repeat the small vegetable garden in the back yard with tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapeno peppers and green peppers. Last year we tried zucchini but it never did produce a single vegetable, so we’re going to skip that this year. Funny thing about zucchini, you either have too much or none. Where’s the happy medium?

On the patio I love to grow herbs like basil and oregano. And then, I grow a few cutting flowers on the side yard and in pots around the yard. I love to cut fresh flowers and put them in vases or jars around the house. Oooh…I can’t wait! It’s so exciting to know that that process has started.

Markers

We also used a few of the million pots from IKEA to plant some grass seed. The pots are sitting on a window sill in my kitchen…but once the grass grows I’ll move them to the fireplace mantle…for a little pop of green. Can’t wait for that either. I have no idea how long it will take for this grass to sprout…but I’m guessing we’ll have green grass inside far before it turns green outside.

Pots

So, it’s plain to see, I’m looking forward to spring. As much as I love so many things about winter—fires in the fireplace, knitting, and drinking hot chocolate…I’m ready to go back outside, see green out my windows, and eat something fresh from my garden. But…even though it’s not here yet, just looking forward to spring is fun.

How about you…what are you looking forward to right now?