THE FLOWER GIRL

It’s official! As far as I’m concerned, there will be no more cold weather!!!! I’m stinkin’ tired of it. I’m through playing the revolving indoor/outdoor game with the ferns. They are out to stay! So are the cactus. And the coleus. And the sweet potato vine. I’m ready to keep my fingers crossed and get on with the growing season, regardless of what the weathermen decide to predict. How’s that for being confident?! Or foolhardy.

Yesterday afternoon, some of us from the Garden Club cleaned up our little park area downtown between two buildings. We weeded, pruned, and planted, and within just two hours the area was looking good. We’ll take turns watering and weeding until frost--in the fall, of course!! (Remember: no more cold weather until then!!!) Last Saturday I tended to the day lilies and weeded at the library. I’ll also be watching over Mama Bore’s garden area when I bop over to Fredonia each week. That’s enough for my achin’ back to do.

Friday I’m going to the flat sale at Stone Creek Nursery and load up on impatiens, petunias, marigolds, and begonias. That will complete my purchases for the spring--maybe. I’ll come home and dig, dig, dig, plant, plant, plant the rest of the day and get my fingernails grimy beyond recognition. I’m not a gardening glove kinda gal. I’ll wait a few weeks before planting the zinnia and morning glory seeds and the caladium bulbs. Then, we’ll have to wait many more weeks for them to pop up outta the ground. Nothing like practicing the art of delayed gratification.

Big Bore is Vegetable Boy. He knows The Flower Girl has an important new garden policy this year that he must follow to the letter at all times: “Look. Don’t touch. Especially with your big flappin’ feet! If violations are made, the next thing I plant is going to be my foot in one of your tender body parts. Dig it?”