Dreaming of springtime

It’s gotten really cold here again. I knew it would happen, as it happens every year, but I do think with global warming (brilliantly re-termed “global weirding” in the NYTimes) is making it worse. Here’s what generally happens:

1. It becomes horribly, bitterly cold at the end of January/beginning of February. I become horribly bitter because it is my birthday.

2. Toward the end of February we have a week of weather in the high 30’s, even hitting 40F once or twice. I begin to think that Michigan winters really aren’t that bad and that soon enough, there will be flowers blooming and all will be well.

3. As fast as the warm weather came, it leaves, and we don’t see another above-freezing temperature for weeks. I return to my bitterness, but also feel somewhat pleased that I can wear my new super warm mittens for another few weeks.

This year though, I’ve taken spring into my own hands. After having a lovely time sprouting and planting little herb seedlings during my prelim last year, and after killing a good number of plants during the weeks leading up to my prospectus defense, I decided that I should try my hand at more container gardening. It’s a relatively cheap investment (approximately $3.50 for seeds) and holds the potential for delicious spinach and cilantro (that’s what’s growing now at least). Based on my current progress, it is sufficient to say that I may not be harvesting huge volumes of crops, but that I am likely to have at least a few little plants. I present to you my attempt at tricking my brain into thinking it’s really spring: