A joyful day - the gardening season has begun!

(Song sparrow looking for love!)

These two pix do not do justice to the beautiful afternoon we had in Michigan today where many of the gardeners who have perennial plots in the community gardens of Project Grow in Ann Arbor were out doing some clean-up, planting, chatting and getting reacquainted, while greatly enjoying a gorgeous early spring day.

I was planting kohlrabi seeds (my husband planted peas yesterday), harvesting some overwintered turnips, taking the winter blanket (mulch) off the kale, enjoying seeing our 300+ cloves of garlic peeking up through its mulch, listening to the Song sparrow's beautiful song defining his territory only a few feet from our garden while looking for a mate (and such a fine territory his is!), while soaking up some vitamin D from the sunshine. I don't really know how long the days need to be in order for the UV rays to create vitamin D in our skin, but I gave it a good chance today.

Our 'Garden Dog' Kaya who enjoys all the sniffing, poking, dashing, barking, rolling, basking, and does such a valiant job protecting her territory from any potential intruder (even with her lame back leg) that she'll have less freedom after things really get planted because she is not at all 'discrete or delicate' about where she steps or rolls.

I put more "Scenes of Spring' (photos of our garden) on my other blog today www.365DaysofKale.com.

I want to end with the blessing my husband and I read tonight at supper as it perfectly captures the beauty of the day, the anticipation of the season, and the gratefulness I feel for all of the above.

I am the one whose praise echoes on high.
I adorn all the earth.
I am the breeze that nurtures all things green.
I encourage blossoms to flourish with ripening fruits.
I am led by the spirit to feed the purest streams.
I am the rain coming from the dew
that causes the grasses to laugh with the joy of life.
I am yearning for good.

~~Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)

A good and joyful day indeed! I hope you have a chance to put your hands in the earth to nourish both body and soul while you enjoy the sounds and smells of spring wherever you live!

Diana Dyer, MS, RD