The Rites of Spring

It's been spring a while back but I have not really felt it until today. The sun was out, on a Saturday nonetheless. Hubby and I had planned this Lowes trip early this week to pick up some Turf Builder, and came home with more. Last year was our first time to ever plant tomatoes and bell peppers, cilantro, thyme, basil and chamomile. We were blessed with a bumper crop of tomatoes so we decided to do it again this year. So instead of just Turf Builder, we came home with 3 tomato plants (Roma, grape and a hybrid cherry), red bell peppers, banana peppers and basil. Last year's age and thyme have survived and are back. I have room for more next weekend, when I go back for my perennials and annuals. We ran into four of our neighbors at Lowes and the cul-de-sac was once again humming with lawn mowers, edgers and people out in their yards saying hello. The crisp air, the sun and the sensation of digging into soil and the pleasure of dirt going through my fingers, the fragrance of grass, and the rites of planting and waiting for fruit to come makes me forget even for a little bit how depressing everything else is around me. Spring is when things come alive, a time for renewal, a time of hope. And so for a brief moment, I'll savor the sensation and bask in my private euphoria. When the tulips have faded, when all the irises have spent their blooms, it's time to look forward to summer. Tomorrow is another day.