So sad about the seedlings

My father-in-law wasn't the only one who passed away recently. When we got home from the funeral and burial on the East Coast, we discovered that nearly all of the seedlings hubby had started last month died too:

Luckily, the onions seem to be hanging on. Hubby was relieved because he didn't want to get the generic "yellow" or "red" onion sets from the local nurseries. There are very specific varieties that he likes (some for sweetness, some for long-term storage).

(Yes, those are ladybugs swarming all over them. The cursed Asiatic ladybugs sometimes nip off the seedlings.)

Remember what they looked like from this post? Ugh. I hope your spring planting, if you started one, is faring better!

My wonderful Facebook-based Picture Book Critique Group cheered me up considerably by sending this amazing lavender plant for condolences on my father-in-law's death. I've only been with them for a couple of months and they have been such a source of laughter, love, and invaluable information and support for me! I have really lucked out with all my critique groups. :)

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

I won!!

Remember my last post about entering a story for Susanna Hill's "In Just Spring" contest? Well, guess what? I bet you couldn't guess from the title. I won! Check out Susanna's hilarious post about it.

I'm doing the Snoopy happy dance! You're lucky you can't see me.

I have been so busy trying to do a bunch of writing (and getting far too distracted by Facebook once again...but it's mostly to do with the writing groups that I'm in, so it can't be helped), that I forgot I didn't have a post for today. Duh. Worked out fine anyway since I wanted to let you know how I did in the contest. ;)

So, I'll just show you that spring is really getting close to being here. It's already here, spring equinox wise.

Spring-y outside (pardon the reflections off the window)

Spring-y inside (these are around 2 weeks old)

Happily, Winter Storm Virgil didn't dump on us like it was forecasted. So, while there is some snow on the ground, it should be gone by mid or late week.

Next Monday, you'll get another mouth-watering recipe. Bet you can't wait! Has Spring come to your corner of the northern continent yet?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

The seedlings are up

This past week, I decided to re-enact the famous Edvard Munch's The Scream. I'm sure some of you can commiserate. Not only do I not have enough time to get everything done, but the *&^% satellite internet provider has put us on bandwidth curfew again. So I apologize for not getting around to reading your various blogs but there's no arguing with our malevolent bandwidth overlord.

Hubby has started the seedlings indoors. There are celery, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, tomatillos, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and frisee.

The onions are pretty distinctive, being long and grassy:

Outside the strawberries are blooming! I'm excited. We only have 2 beds, but I hope they both do well.

What have you got started? Trying anything new this year?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Will it ever be Spring?

What comes to mind when I say "Spring"? I hope you said "horseradish harvests!" because then you'd be right. Dh and the boys harvested the previous weekend and then dh made a nice batch of horseradish sauce. Here are the roots they harvested:
Our favorite way to eat horseradish sauce is to put it on top of fried eggs, but it also makes an incredible veggie dip when mixed with sour cream (our horseradish sauce is pure horseradish roots and organic vinegar). Jars of the stuff:
We keep the jars in the fridge and freezer and don't can them. I'm not sure that they can be canned, if you know that they can, please let me know!

Dh started some seeds - spinach and lettuce - outside before we left for Spring Break. Right after we got back, he started seeds indoors - bib lettuce, various onions, and various tomatoes. Here they are all cozy and happy on their heat pads and under the grow lights:
He also started some stuff in the greenhouse, but darned if I can remember what. *sigh* And because these are totally not enough, he also stopped by Mays Greenhouse for more seedlings and White River Co-op for seed potatoes.

Mother Nature must have heard my whining because it is starting to feel like spring these past couple of days. Yay!

What have you started from seed?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams