I was about to call it a night when Jason turned to me on the couch and said, “Want to see the baby lettuces?” Tired as I was, he looked and sounded too sweet to refuse.

He has them in the basement under grow lights. Poking out of the potting soil, reaching for the light, are the tiniest lettuces possible. Just wee green slips. Baby broccoli and lots of herbs, too. The oregano is so small you have to squint to see it. And lots of kale. Seed trays are the first sign of spring for us. Here are a few more favorites:

BIRDS SINGING

Everywhere and all the time. Isn’t it a relief to hear them again?

MOSS SEASON

The moss is never more brilliantly green than this time of year. Any place it grows takes on a mysterious and enchanted appearance. Unless it’s your roof.

HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN HIGH GEAR

We had all winter to make home interior tweaks but as usual we waited until now. Maybe it’s because the clock is about to run out on such projects, when farming takes over in early spring. Or maybe the promise of good weather has us motivated to tackle all that needs tackling. Right now, we’re making a few inexpensive but big impact changes to my office, including green paint. And Jason taught me how to refinish my desk.

EGGS

Hurray! The chickens are laying again. This is a big deal since we go through about four dozen eggs a week. The ladies are relishing rolls in the dust on sunny afternoons. It’s nice to see them in the yard giving their feathers good shakes.

SYRUP MAKING

We put in about 10 taps. When conditions are right, we’re getting about 10 gallons of clear sap a day. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make a gallon of maple syrup. Our goal is two gallons of syrup for the year.

TUNNEL WORK

Jason mowed inside the Big Tunnel the other day and worked up the rows. He seeded carrots, cilantro, radishes, and spinach.

BACKYARD BASEBALL

The weekend was extra warm. After an all-around great day, I was doing a few things in the house when I spied Silas and Jason playing catch in the back yard. Silas will be a minor leaguer this spring. He missed out on T-ball altogether thanks to the pandemic so Jason’s been working with him on the basics.

On this particular evening, the sun was setting behind them, and with no leaves to block the glow, they were both outlined in gold. I watched them as a warm breeze blew through the screen. Thank you, Spring, for so many gifts.

~ Stella