The Other March Madness

Springtime makes me choose music. For the first time in weeks, I am voluntarily turning on music and grooving to rhythms; singing lyrics to the stories and poems I haven't been able to connect with. Winter does that to me: it causes me to disconnect...

I can literally feel the layers of all of the dreary, mucked-up, filth in my heart peeling away. The brief hours of sunshine and fresh air on my face from yesterday's trip to the park continue to work their magic, 12 hours later. I mean, I sat in the grass you guys. 

I. Sat. In. The. Grass.

I felt the grass and the Earth beneath my hands and body. I connected to the Earth and it reminded me that this phase of muck and cold and barrenness is over. The daffodils beside me on that grassy knoll were solid evidence that Spring isn't just "coming." Spring is HERE.

My seeds have sprouted and my little baby vegetables and flowers almost need to be transplanted to their bigger pots so that they have space to spread their roots and so that I have space to start some more seeds. What's next? Maybe the tomatoes? Spinach? Growing things has always appealed to me, but it has only been in the past few years that I have found my path back to actually working in the earth. I lost my way somewhere in the toddler/elementary school years of raising a family... Being involved in this growing process of our future lunches and dinners has truly given me a center to focus on when the real madness of March attempts to take charge.

I'm like Dr. Doolittle only without the Animals. Or book/movie deal...

Despite everyone telling me, repeatedly, to not plant my seedlings in the garden in April (when it was SO warm and it freaking felt like JUNE); I did it. I now have some fabulous lettuce and cilantro because they can handle the frigid drops in temp at night. Sadly, all of my baby tomatoes, cucumbers, jalepenos, and sweet peppers? Did not fare as well.

Thankfully, I had started a few more seeds inside, just for kicks, so I spent Sunday afternoon happily digging in the dirt, talking to my new vegetables.

"Just GROW, guys. Buck up if it gets a little chilly and hunker down. Don't do what they did (flutters hand disappointedly at the withered stalks of the previous tomato attempts) and give up on me. This is my dream, guys. I dream of a garden that I started from seed. Don't kill my dream!"

Even more thankfully, my neighbors weren't outside to witness my interactions.

I patted the soil and pulled the itty bitty thistles that had hopefully attached themselves to the exposed dirt of the garden. (No way, guys. This is the ONE AREA of my yard that will not have thistles.) I then noticed a different volunteer plant. Hmmm...

Aha! Oregano. Wow. I had heard it was really invasive, but I didn't think it would be something I couldn't handle. I mean, it's just a little volunteer plant. No big deal. Just a little bit here... and here... Oh. And here, too.

I stood up in my garden and slowly pivoted full circle...

Holy. Holy. Holy. Balls.


Oregano was EVERYWHERE.

Giving my enormous oregano plant another "look" that is usually saved for children and dirty dishes, and in a flurry of scissors and heavily aromatic air; I set to trimming that bush DOWN.

And now I am just like a witch with herbs drying on a string in my kitchen!!

You'd be surprised to realize just how excited this picture makes me.
Seriously. I keep staring at it.
Maybe I am secretly a witch?
Like one of those Made for TV movies where the girl (ME) finds out that she has always held the powers of nature in the palm of her hand if only she knew which plants to dry and mix together!

I definitely need a cup of coffee.

Crrrruuuunch. Crrrruuuunch.*

See this? These 12 rows?I MADE THAT.**

For realz.

See these?***

And these?

I GREW THEM.

With my hands.

I grew them and these herbs and I just mix that shit UP and have been making the best pasta sauce EVER from my garden.

That I GREW.

Just like God.

I feel POWERFUL. I feel.... Inspired.

Got a problem? LET ME AT IT.

I feel as though I could create anything and solve any issues you can throw my way. Just me, my crochet hook and my garden hose.


*That's the sound of my crunchiness factor increasing by 34%.

**Be kind. I learned how to crochet at 9:30 last night and only have the basic step down. I am going for the enjoyment of the PROCESS here, folks. Not the exactness of the stitch. I asked Corinne if she was going to wear the scarf I was making and she hedged, very kindly, "Um... Maybe. Maybe if I can't find any other scarf, and I am really cold, I will wear it."


***Next year: Grapes. If I can make tomatoes for my own sauces, I can sure as hell grow grapes for my own wine. I AM LIKE GOD. Let's just hope the wine doesn't taste the way my "scarf" (I'm using that term loosely) looks. i.e. lumpy and confusing. But LOVELY. Oh so lovely and pink and soft and I am WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR NOW LET'S GO CREATE SOMETHING RAWWWRR!!!!

Thankfully, The Zombie Apocalypse isn't predicted anytime soon...

Should the Zombie Apocalypse ever infiltrate Chicago, my boys will definitely be ready for them. You may not be able to tell, but I'm told that that's a serious machine gun my 9 year is toting...
Our first time to "The Bean" in Millennium Park. Lived here my whole life and I've never seen it. Can't say that, anymore...
Justin's words: "The Taste of Chicago was the BEST DAY I've ever had in Chicago!!" High praise from my 12 year old. Pictured eating a chocolate dipped, walnut coated frozen banana from The Fudge Pot that was TO DIE FOR. The two of us barely finished it together!
If The Original Rainbow Cone ever wants me to endorse their products, I have 2 kids who would be MORE than happy to oblige. Those cones were WORTH the 8 tickets they cost at The Taste. Absolutely.
My heart grew 3 sizes yesterday when Corinne used her Barnes and Noble gift card to buy The Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do It Yourself Book for Evan. And Evan's been WRITING IN IT since she gave it to him! Be still, my heart...
I was SO HAPPY (insert sarcasm here) to find out that Patrick had purchased a gigantic box of smoke bomb thingies(don't ask me the technical name). I'm sure our neighbors appreciated the sulfuric odors, too.
Seriously, it was FOUL.
But nothing screams "Yay, America!" more loudly than a bunch of children running around with flaming sticks.

I'm definitely proud to be an American, especially since I can't fathom calling French Fries "chips". That would just suck. No offense to my British readers, but that's simply weird!

Happy Fourth of July, everybody!

*Garden Update: My garden is still ALIVE! Corinne has been helping out by watering it religiously and we ate our first tomato from one of the plants. Question: am I supposed to pick the oregano whenever I want some, or only at a certain time? Also, it's flowering. Is that bad?

I Want to Bottle This Day and Sell it Like Crack

Ever have a day where you look back and wonder at the awesomeness that is yourself?

Not to pat myself on the back too hard, but damn! I had an accomplished day! Especially since it was all just off the cuff. Even more amazing when you realize that, at 9:03 am, I was relaxing with a cup of coffee while my children slept in. At 9:04, my Facebook status read:

Ahhhh.. the first really unscheduled day of our summer! We are doing NOTHING and going NOWHERE...

And then, at 9:05 I realized that it was MONDAY and that Mondays in June mean basketball camp for Evan!!

I do believe I shouted a few profanities at this point.

Shockingly enough, all children were awake, dressed and fed by 9:55 so that I was walking out the door with Evan, Corinne and a bag of activities to occupy Corinne. Evan wasn't crying about camp and I was cautiously optimistic that he would make it through the class without getting upset and quitting. (Last week's class was a Parenting Fail. Let's just leave it at that.)

ANYway! Many shots were made, balls were dribbled and sweaty smiles were beamed at me from the court. I was incredibly impressed with myself, even though I hadn't showered and the mother next to me was looking quite lovely with her 4 perfectly coiffed children. Sigh... This was the only bump in the day though...

The day continued to be marvelous. I cleaned the counter that had begun to require its own zip code and found several pairs of missing sunglasses and nail clippers. I walked with all 3 kids to the park and then around the block just for the hell of it! (I KNOW!) Justin and I took our first nightly bike ride to encourage living a healthier lifestyle. I dog-eared several pages of Melisa's book, Chicken in the Car and the Car Won't Go, so that I can find the spots we want to visit this summer. Dishes were washed! TWICE! I watched Patrick and Corinne play soccer in the backyard while I weeded our garden. Kids have showered! Laundry has been done! I agreed to letting Evan have a friend sleep over because the house is moderately clean-ish and I am in a good mood. I even COOKED DINNER. All in the same day!

Somebody tell me what I did correctly. PLEASE. Please tell me what happened last night or this morning or with the moon that allowed me to end the day (it's only 7:34!) feeling so accomplished!! What is different? How do I replicate this forward-motion emotion?*

Alas, alas, alas**, Life is never that easily controlled or created. Today was today and tomorrow will be tomorrow...

*I think I need to trademark that line: Forward-Motion Emotion. I LOVE IT.


**Heh. It's still funny!

~~~
Garden 2011 Status: Nothing is dead. This is remarkable. A few wimpy weeds dared to make their presence known and met a fate worse than death. Well, maybe not WORSE than death, since they were merely tossed over the edge of the fencing to the grass where they will most likely re-root and grow again. But I WEEDED, damnit. This should be accounted for.