A time to sow

It's been so grim and snowy this week that it's hard to remember, exactly, but this past weekend was sunny and warm so we planted seeds. Well, some of us planted seeds. Others went skiing.

[insert stock photo of skiing in the cloudy gray snow here]

First we went to the plant store, where in addition to seed-starting soil I was somehow convinced to buy a houseplant. Do you know what we need? Not house plants. But after looking at every. single. thing. in the blessed store, my resistance was worn down. Also, frank admission: plants and books are the two things to which I am unable to say no in a retail situation. Related: we also came home with kale seeds. Where, exactly, will I be planting these seeds? No idea. But it was that new (to me) dinosaur kale. I couldn't resist.

As we were driving away, Helen perked up and said that she was just happy because she'd finally gotten a pet. She wanted to get a mouse that day and, indeed, I can testify: she was very, very mad about the non-mouse situation about 45 minutes earlier. But now, she said, she was okay, because she had Cactey.

Helen's new pet. I think it qualifies as my Favorite Kid Pet EVAH.

Long live Cactey!

And also Cacto. He has two bodies.

Afterwards, we put the seed-starting soil into trays. "We," I say. Helen put in two scoops, decided it was too messy, and went off to introduce Cactey to her toys.

Ready for seeds. Possibly the most boring picture ever.

She was also only interested in putting her own seeds into her own pots, although I have to say, even though she is seven and much less likely these days to knock everything to the floor, I really prefer it that way. I'm all for introducing children to the miracle of planting in theory, but when the seeds hit the pots it turns out that I actually don't like to relinquish control. I have similar problems sharing the joys of baking.

Here come the seeds.

She planted pansies. I planted two kinds of basil, four kinds of tomato, lovage, summer savory, leeks, and marjoram. A few of these seeds were bought for our very first garden, back in 1998, and while I'm unable to throw them out they usually end up just fertilizing the pots for another round of another type of seed. Their viability's not what it used to be. I try to plant a lot, partly to improve the chances of germination and partly to just use them up so I can start over.

No, I don't watch that show Hoarders. Why do you ask?

Helen also went to a birthday at Canvas and Cocktails. I'm not sure what kind of cocktails they served but she did come home with a canvas:

Still life with painter.

Detail. Note the black widow on your right (crawling up the stem).

On Monday Si got very grumpy and wanted M. to take Helen to gymnastics, while he and I got to stay home alone. So I can watch you play Wii? I asked without the faaaintest hint of bitterness. He nodded gloweringly. I ended up forgoing that pleasure, but did promise that the two us would do something just the two of us, very soon. I also am trying one last reading-aloud book with him (The Sword in the Stone). He tolerates this so long as it doesn't interfere with his own reading time. That works for me.