Gardening

I cleaned up the balcony aboug two weeks ago when we were having gorgeous sunny normal spring weather. It was nice to see that everything seems to have survived the winter despite the horrible cold that we went through. The boxwood topiaries were looking pretty shaggy though and I had been putting off attacking the very big job of trimming them. And then? Once I started? I couldn't stop. I was out there every day with my clippers, 'Oh, I'm just going to even out this little bit over here...' and 45 minutes later I was sweeping up an entire bag of leaves. It is like an addiction. I even spent a happy hour on the internet researching garden implements to upgrade from my 5 euro grocery store clippers - in fact, they are probably closer to finger nail clippers than hedge trimmers but I wanted something to fit on the shelf with the plant fertilizer. The priorities of an apartment dweller... But I've decided to stick with the nail clippers. The last thing I need is encouragement from a pair of shiny new clippers to go out there yet again.

I even popped over to the flower shop for a few geraniums to brighten it up and got a few extra things like tomato and strawberry plants for Ella to take care of. I probably should have bought plants slightly smaller and less mature to make it a bit more exciting but she is only 5 and I figured that they would all be dead in a few weeks under her 'loving care' (which translates into watering the plants hourly or every time my back is turned, whichever comes first.) Despite that, and the miserable weather lately, everything seems to be doing well and look! we even have some ripe strawberries! B and I are trying to decide just how toxic Paris balcony fruit is before we let her pick them and eat them. But its ok because I found the phone number for French Poison Control last night.

Now, I would love to start sitting outside again with a cup of coffee to enjoy it. There were a few days that Georgia would go out with me and go from plant to plant touching the leaves and smelling them. She would sit on the little step and just look around at the pigeons and the boats going by on the river. Ok, just sitting there and screaming 'Regard! Regard! Regard!' until I looked up and made a comment on whatever had caught her eye. I don't think we'll forget what her first word was. We were really enjoying ourselves- before winter decided to have the last laugh. Another week, another cold grey Monday morning. When will it end?