"What's in that pot?" - Mom

"The first dead basil." - Me

"The first?" - Mom

"The second one's on the windowsill." - Me


I have successfully killed two basil plants so far this spring. The first, by putting it outside and letting it get pounded in rain. Not a good plan. The second, by leaving it inside in a non sunny spot. Also not a good plan. But Mom's attempting to revive it.

I planted some lettuce this week. And beets. And rosemary. And I nailed some wire to a board so the beans can grow up it. And I transferred the little tiny sprouts that will become butternut squash and carrots into bigger containers, where I am crossing my fingers that they will be happy until it is the very end of May and I put them into the real garden.

The dogs helped by keeping an eye out for things.

I got out to the garden and wished for a radio, but then I started listening, and there was a pretty good soundtrack going on. The lilacs and roses are happy to have vegetables growing nearby, and the sage is glad to not be the only herb running amok.

I was considering the spacing of things - you know, how much room does the broccoli actually need to stretch its roots out and grow sort of considering, and also which plants will help each other out, and which plants don't want to be near each other - and thinking also about how considering such things with people can be helpful too. Some people help each other grow, and others don't. And some people give us lots of space to be ourselves, and we love them for it, and others crowd us out and it's kind of cramped being around them.

I feel like I am going to learn things from this whole gardening business.