I’m ready for it to be warm. No, really ready. Really.

I’m ready to unclog and untangle my herb garden. Some of the plants are making a valiant effort to put forth, thank you, parsley, chives, and oregano. I would thank rosemary, but it never goes away. The sage is too old; I need to replace it.

Cilantro usually reseeds itself, but I haven’t seen any shoots. It’s probably been TOO COLD for it to do its usual year-round thing.

It is about time to try to put out lettuce. But first I have to find a day that’s warm enough for me to be out there to unclog and untangle the place.

However, here’s the good news: this year I will be here all summer to maintain it and to enjoy the fruit of my labors. In the past, I’ve planted a lovely garden and get to use it for maybe four weeks before decamping to Valdosta. When I get back, whatever has survived without me is overgrown with grass.

But not this summer. This summer I can cook every day with fresh herbs. I can rescue plants that are failing, or rip them out and get new ones in the ground. I can try potted herbs, since they have to be watered every day and I’ll be here to do that, and probably will be lo0king for something to do after the first three days of leisure.

Yet another reason to get busy and get the bassoon/quartet piece done, so I can actually free up some time.

Technically, though, I can wait until weekend after next to start digging and weeding. At that point, the bassoon/quartet piece will already be in the mail, and I don’t have another competition for which I will have to write a new piece, at least if I decide to bag the a cappella Italian children’s choir piece, which I think I am.