Everything Feels Better in Sunshine

Tulip, Magdalena, NM, April 2011

I've been absent from my blog lately because, being on break from coursework, I'm not at my computer nearly as much -- I'm outside gardening instead! We've been blessed with warmth and sunshine this past week, to which my plants and I have all responded energetically by emerging from our winter slumbers. My most recent cold, which seemed poised to morph into my second bout of bronchitis/pneumonia of the year, dissolved as I spent time in the sun -- heavy doses of echinacea/osha/goldenseal root tea probably also helped.

In New Mexico the spring sunshine also brings strong winds, and it has been so dry lately (2 months without a drop of rain) that any spark can quickly fan into a fire, as happened on Thursday less than a mile from my home. I watched the smoke billow all afternoon and paused from my gardening to count the firetrucks and volunteer firefighters racing up my road to gain access to and control over the fire's southern edge. Thankfully, no one was hurt and no structures burned, but the fire came within a few feet of one family's home and was only arrested by a dozen or so people, including the homeowners, wielding fire and garden hoses. My neighbors across the road, whose property backs up to where the fire was burning, were readying their horses for evacuation as the winds abated and the firefighters gained control. I would have been over there in a heartbeat to help out, if only to lead the horses over to my yard for safe keeping.

I'll try to blog more in the next few weeks, but for now, I have lots of gardening to do! I've planted all my seeds for indoor and coldframe germination (I can't set anything out till May 15), and today I need to clear old garden beds and start digging up a new section so I can grow more veggies! I hear some of you are having rotten weather, so I'll try to send some sunshine and warmth your way. Enjoy your weekend, whatever the weather!