I know winter isn’t over yet, but I’m trying my best to ignore the gray, cold days by dreaming of my garden this spring! I have begun to get my seeds started indoors. They will eventually be moved to the greenhouse when it warms up and they don’t need a grow light. I am growing herbs, flowers and vegetables which will be planted in my yard and garden, and some will be offered for sale. I always plant too many, so they will need homes!

I love herbs, first and foremost, and always grow parsley, dill, thyme, chives, rosemary, lemon verbena, oregano, mint and basil. I also grow cilantro, but for the seeds, known as coriander. It’s amazing that a seed can taste so different from the leaves of the same plant. That is definitely the case with cilantro and coriander. I love the sweet flavor of the seed and it adds a wonderful flavor to salsa and sauce. I am looking forward to establishing an asparagus bed as well. I will start some from seed, but will also purchase some crowns which will enable a harvest in 2 years. By starting them from seeds, it will be 3 years before they can be harvested, so I look forward to that time when the hopeful waiting will pay off.

I also will be adding more of a cutting garden this year. Zinnias, dahlias, bachelor buttons, straw flowers, sunflowers, in addition to the shasta daisies, carnations and coneflowers already in my flower beds. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve been able to do what I have wanted to with my garden, yard and greenhouse, but this year will be better. I’m working through some health challenges and have more energy and I also have less stress than I have had the last several years. We never know what’s around the corner, but I feel prepared to handle whatever comes my way.

Having faith in God is really key to everything for me. Whenever I begin to worry too much, or feel down and not sure what to do, I can pray and feel so much better. He truly does help us find solutions and bear our burdens. Being hopeful about the future is the beginning of making changes and plans. Getting out of your comfort zone and proving to yourself that you can achieve what you keep dreaming about. No one said it would be easy, but if we keep trying who knows what we can accomplish.