In like a Lion, Out like a Lamb. Rambling thoughts for the beginning of March.

 I saw a comic recently that describes the month of March perfectly.

Two people are standing outside and it starts to rain, one of them comments on that by saying "Oh, it's raining again."

The next panel has the other same person saying, "And now it's a mix of snow and ice."

The third and final panel has some colored in streaks through the air and the first person asks the question "Is that mud?"  To which the other person simply states "I hate March."

Honestly I don't hate March.  Much like September it's a transmission month for me, where I shake off the dust and depression of winter and look forward to longer days, warmer temperatures and a more colorful environment. 

This winter was generally mild, with only December bearing snow and unbearably cold temperatures.  Having grown up in Western Pennsylvania, I know that Mother Nature has at least one more ice storm up her sleeve. Even as I write this our yard is covered in a bit of snow, which by afternoon no one will remember was even there.

This winter however has been productive, although emotional as we had to deal with a series of deaths in the family.  Spring however means new life, as the first wisps of our seeds for tomatoes, onions and pepper plants start to show from their trays.   

We have started some seeds indoors around the middle of last month and I wait the last days of March with baited breath so I can get them outside and growing properly.

I've actually kind of excited to grow things from seeds and not have to buy new plants like we did last year.  In some ways I feel like a kid again, studying elementary science.  My wife and I are actually planning a proper garden although there is a little debate about tilling the soil or simply putting down tarps, good soil and/or containers.

Our garden will be close to the house, partially to serve as a deterrent for deer and partially for the ease of weeding and appearance.  

Living out where we do it's not uncommon to find deer; they are always about although why they seem to want to eat from our small garden and not spend time in the open fields of nearby farms is beyond me.

So far I've learned that Irish Spring soap may or may not help deter them.  I've also heard that banging metal pots up to be blown in the wind (why not simply chimes?) can help deter them; so can sensor lights, human hair and urine, store bought chemicals, motion detecting Halloween decorations and even motion detecting water guns.

I was even advised to not try and fight them but prepare a spot where they knew they could find salt and food away from the garden, where the deer felt safe in the hope they would stay away from the garden.  

Deer fencing or deer netting are always an option as well 

Generally speaking I've not seen much in the way of wild rabbits, chipmunks or squirrels which is probably due to the feral cats in the area.   

We are a mere two or three weeks away from officially planting our garden.

A garden for me is not about the food we produce, although that is part of it.  Nor is it a desire to be self sufficient.  Nor am I particularly worried about where my food comes from. 

In my opinion, I have the land.  I have the space and I want to build something for the future.  Studying economics, living through a pandemic, understand that things are going to get harder and harder in the future...learning to grow green things.  How to preserve them, how to live in that moment and somehow pass on this knowledge is what matters.

flowering prickly pear

That's one of the reasons I write this blog that only a few people will ever read.  I remember a quote I came across years ago:  Knowledge is useless unless it is shared.  I'm trying to share it in some small way.

To somehow slowly build up a legacy of perennial food sources for a future generation.  This is why I’m planting a few small fruiting trees over time, sunchokes, prickly pear cactus and a host of other edible native plants. 

This means that I can never really sell this home...if I were to do so I’ve no guarantee that the future owner would not tear asunder everything that I worked for.   This means I have to leave the land and property to a university with the understanding that they use it for research purposes and preservation to maintain my legacy.

Dealing with my parent's estate, small as it is, has only reinforced this idea in my mind.  You have to leave some sort of legacy.  That means a call to the lawyers is in order.  There is always some work to do.