All day today snow has been falling. Ed is back outside blowing and plowing snow again. The idea of being snowed in here together is a romantic notion. The reality of it is a little different. The garden is quiet under its blanket of snow, but Ed and John Deere are hard at work clearing the drive and releasing the vehicles from the snow.
As I write, I'm soaking what is likely the last of our Purple Viking potatoes in cold water to firm them up for baking. It's an old trick passed down to me from my thrifty gardening grandma. They might be a little wrinkled, but they will still taste better than potatoes purchased from the store.
Ever since the snow started, Ed and I have been reading glowing plant descriptions and looking at colorful pictures in our big stack of catalogs. February cold and snow can have a dangerous effect on our sales resistance, but we weeded the catalogs down to just a few too many. We made lists of seeds and plants to buy. Lists were checked and double checked. Prices were compared. Some items were crossed off and others added. Six catalogs made the cut. Today I called in seed and plant orders. From the chatter in the background on the phone, I would say that lots of gardeners stuck inside are doing the same. Soon seeds will come in the mail. The plants will arrive in the spring. The anticipation and excitement about being back in the garden is building. In a few days we will have new seeds for a new beginning.
4 comments:
I just placed my orders too under the blanket of almost 2 feet of snow falling. I can't imagine spring with almost 6 ft of snow piled up.
Purple Viking Potatoes?! They are fancy! I agree: Even wrinkly locally grown fall harvest potatoes are better than store-bought. I chuckled reading your romance vs. reality description. ;-)
The view of your snowy garden looks just about like mine. I've been picking up seed packets when I visit stores like Farm and Fleet. I don't enjoy starting seed but none of my local greenhouses carries the flower selection I want. I will certainly try your tip about soaking potatoes. It makes sense when I think about it. Just replacing the moisture they have lost in storage.
Well, you know with the winter blues comes S.A.D. - Seed Acquisition Disorder! I have probably bought a few too many seeds from a few too many places... Your potatoes look so interesting and sound yummy!
Post a Comment