This is one of my regular walking routes. It’s hyper-cold out there, but there were some winter wonderland shots I just couldn’t resist.

This is how my garden looks today, buried in approximately a foot of snow. You can’t see it, but there are three raised beds for vegetables, a semi-circular area for wildflowers and rhubarb, and two long borders that contain peonies, sorrel, oregano, bee balm (monarda), chives, and a burst of bright orange lilies.

I made my first forward-thinking gardening step yesterday, by placing an order at Fedco for seeds. Below is my order. There are a few items that I’ll have to buy in person somewhere. In the meantime, I make my plans–which seeds I’ll start inside, when (roughly), I’ll plant the cool weather crops like peas and spinach outside (probably mid-April), and where to place the various plants and seeds in relation to each other.

214 – Greencrop Bush Green Bean ( A=2oz ) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
798 – Legume Inoculant ( A=treats 8lb ) 1 x $5.00 = $5.00
889 – Cascadia Snap Pea OG ( A=2oz ) 1 x $2.00 = $2.00
1313 – Marketmore 76 Slicing Cucumber OG ( A=1/16oz ) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
1457 – Costata Romanesca Zucchini OG ( A=1/8oz ) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
1520 – Lemon Yellow Summer Squash OG ( A=1/8oz ) 1 x $1.60 = $1.60
2042 – Scarlet Nantes Carrot ( A=1/8oz ) 1 x $0.90 = $0.90
2109 – Early Wonder Tall Top Beet OG ( A=1/8oz ) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
2268 – Misato Rose Radish OG ( A=1/8oz ) 1 x $1.50 = $1.50
2407 – King Richard Leek OG ( A=1/16oz ) 1 x $1.70 = $1.70
2541 – Bloomsdale Spinach OG ( A=1/4oz ) 1 x $1.40 = $1.40
2712 – Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce OG ( A=2g ) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
2771 – Royal Oakleaf Lettuce OG ( A=1g ) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
3023 – Arugula OG ( A=1/16oz ) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
3038 – Golden Chard OG ( A=1/16oz ) 1 x $1.30 = $1.30
3170 – Dark Green Italian Parsley OG ( A=1/16oz ) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
3312 – Fiesta Broccoli OG ( A=0.2g ) 1 x $2.50 = $2.50
3608 – Imperial Star Globe Artichoke OG ( A=0.5g ) 1 x $1.50 = $1.50
3678 – Applegreen Eggplant OG ( A=0.2g ) 1 x $1.70 = $1.70
3723 – Purple Beauty Sweet Pepper OG ( A=0.5g ) 1 x $1.10 = $1.10
4065 – Jubilee Tomato OG ( A=0.2g ) 1 x $1.30 = $1.30
4117 – Principe Borghese Cherry Tomato OG ( A=0.2g ) 1 x $1.30 = $1.30
4418 – Genovese Basil ( A=2g ) 1 x $1.00 = $1.00
4436 – Anise Basil ( A=0.5g ) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
4453 – Lime Basil OG ( A=0.25g ) 1 x $1.30 = $1.30
4531 – Bouquet Dill OG ( A=2g ) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20
4567 – Bronze Fennel OG ( A=0.2g ) 1 x $1.20 = $1.20

Before about age 14, my musical universe was–for the most part–overwhelmingly shaped by important people in my life, mainly my parents and their friends and romantic partners. But by 14, I had started making discerning choices. There was music my parents liked that I consciously rejected in favor of other albums and artists.

The best and perhaps first example was Bonnie Raitt. I don’t know what first brought Raitt to my attention, but it wasn’t any specific person in my life. Somehow, I was listening for myself and making choices. (At age 17, I left home for good, and my musical universe broadened even more.)

The Polaris 2011 800-RMX 155
Roars up the snow packed groomed trail
Missing all the soft gifts of my woods.