Today I went out and planted some sweet peas, in the hopes that this year, finally, I will have them in the ground early enough to grow. But I am worried they will be eaten by voles or bunnies as soon as they emerge, just as they were last year. Hopefully I’ll have them out early enough before the bunnies get too active, and in a spot the voles won’t notice them. But just in case, I saved a few seeds to grow in peat pots and try to transplant in April, although they don’t especially appreciate transplanting. Sigh.
Gardening would be such a pleasure if it weren’t for the uncontrollable factors of animal pests and bad weather. Oh, and harmful bugs. And diseases. And noxious weeds. Well, OK, gardening has lots of factors out of our control, and our hard work can be eaten or destroyed within days. Yet, hope springs eternal, and every year, we gardeners, gluttons for punishment, eternally hopeful, head out to our gardens, tools in hand, ready again to do battle with the forces of nature to bring forth beauty and healthy food. Growing Goodness.