Seeds and Seedlings

In my Rose Creek Mystery series, one secondary character is an avid gardener. Minka Kurek is Shanice's landlady and friend. The Polish immigrant in her mid-seventies grows an amazing backyard garden of flowers and vegetables.  We meet her briefly in book two, but maybe I should increase her involvement in a future book. 

Gardeners share a hyper-awareness of the changing seasons. In Colorado right now, we are experiencing a typical Rocky Mountain spring, when it might be in the 70s one day and snowing the next. 

This is a time of anticipation. Every seed planted represents potential. Not all seeds will sprout, and of those, some will fail to thrive. 

I start most of my plants from seeds. From reliable to challenging, you can find most flowers and vegetables in seed form. I like to save a buck. A source of pride this spring is my success with blue columbines. Last year, I finally got three columbine plants to start (out of a package of about a million tiny seeds). I remembered to water them a few times during winter. Maybe I'll get flowers this season.

My vegetables, herbs, and other flowers are coming along. I planted beets in the ground outdoors, because they can handle a mild freeze. Some greens like cold weather, and those will go out soon - spinach, kale, lettuce, chard. My tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants require special care.  I must baby them on indoor plant shelves, putting them out for sun when the temperature is above 60, and the wind isn't blowing too hard.

During this time of possibilities, gardeners take joy in the little victories. A seed sprouting from the soil is exciting. An everyday miracle. It makes me smile. 

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