July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Spring week is spent piddling in her garden

As I See It

By Special to The Commercial Review/Diana Dolecki-

By DIANA DOLECKI
Spring is finally here. The calendar said spring began last month but as far as I’m concerned it began last week.
The daffodils are in their glory along with sweetly scented hyacinths. A few early tulips have opened their petals to the sun. The weeping cherry has held onto its blooms for the admiration of passersby. More importantly, the hollow chocolate rabbits are as delicious as ever.
I spent most of last week outside just piddling. If next week is as warm it will be time to start cleaning out the flowerbeds. I have an overabundant crop of wild garlic that has infiltrated the front flowerbed. I have mixed feeling about those plants. On the one hand they have a unique flower that is weird enough to be appealing; on the other hand they are weeds; hence the yearly failed attempt at eradication.
I also know it is spring because when I woke up this morning my eye was swollen. I assume I inadvertently got into some of the poison ivy that I thought had been eliminated. I haven’t broken out in the telltale blisters yet. Maybe I’ll get lucky this year.
Every time I think I have avoided the dreaded plant it sneaks up and rubs its irritating urushiol on me. The rash-producing oil is in the leaves, vines, and roots. There aren’t any leaves to be seen but there are vines and roots left over from last year. I think it had formed a pact with the mulberry I was trying to dig out that was growing beside the driveway and it launched a sneak attack.
Poison ivy aside, I love this time of year. Everything is coming back to life after a dreary winter. We are once again waking up to sunshine and birdsong. The Easter bunny is scurrying around preparing for one of the holiest days of the Christian year and pictures of the odd things people do to that marshmallowy candy known as Peeps are popping up on the Internet.
I have no plans to create a diorama using Peeps but there was a little table decoration using Peeps to decorate a wreath that looked doable. I just can’t see wasting good sugary candy on decorations. I have tried floating them in hot chocolate and can honestly say they are delicious that way.
I also had my hands in dirt last week. I planted some lilies out by the corner. I spotted them languishing in a plastic bag at a big box store. They were trying to grow in that cramped environment and seemed to be in a panic to be free.
I realize that most people think its silly to attribute feelings to plants. I can’t help it. I once read about a study that concluded that plants arched away from a pair of scissors. But since they move so slowly we say they can’t move. If they really did move was it because they didn’t want their blossoms clipped or because they felt pain? I honestly don’t know.
Spring is finally here. The earth is awakening and plants are stretching and growing. Lawn mowers are refusing to start, much to the consternation of their owners. 
People are beginning exercise programs as an excuse to be outside to enjoy the warmth of the season. Our niece is looking forward to running in the Boston marathon. She has been training for more than a year for this event. I think she’s crazy but the opportunity to test herself is what this spring means to her.
To me spring is a time of rebirth. Soon we will be complaining that the sun is too hot and we haven’t had any rain for a while. Enjoy the energizing weather while you can. Spring is here and it’s one of my favorite times of year.
Spring is finally here. The calendar said spring began last month but as far as I’m concerned it began last week.
The daffodils are in their glory along with sweetly scented hyacinths. A few early tulips have opened their petals to the sun. The weeping cherry has held onto its blooms for the admiration of passersby. More importantly, the hollow chocolate rabbits are as delicious as ever.
I spent most of last week outside just piddling. If next week is as warm it will be time to start cleaning out the flowerbeds. I have an overabundant crop of wild garlic that has infiltrated the front flowerbed. I have mixed feeling about those plants. On the one hand they have a unique flower that is weird enough to be appealing; on the other hand they are weeds; hence the yearly failed attempt at eradication.
I also know it is spring because when I woke up this morning my eye was swollen. I assume I inadvertently got into some of the poison ivy that I thought had been eliminated. I haven’t broken out in the telltale blisters yet. Maybe I’ll get lucky this year.
Every time I think I have avoided the dreaded plant it sneaks up and rubs its irritating urushiol on me. The rash-producing oil is in the leaves, vines, and roots. There aren’t any leaves to be seen but there are vines and roots left over from last year. I think it had formed a pact with the mulberry I was trying to dig out that was growing beside the driveway and it launched a sneak attack.
Poison ivy aside, I love this time of year. Everything is coming back to life after a dreary winter. We are once again waking up to sunshine and birdsong. The Easter bunny is scurrying around preparing for one of the holiest days of the Christian year and pictures of the odd things people do to that marshmallowy candy known as Peeps are popping up on the Internet.
I have no plans to create a diorama using Peeps but there was a little table decoration using Peeps to decorate a wreath that looked doable. I just can’t see wasting good sugary candy on decorations. I have tried floating them in hot chocolate and can honestly say they are delicious that way.
I also had my hands in dirt last week. I planted some lilies out by the corner. I spotted them languishing in a plastic bag at a big box store. They were trying to grow in that cramped environment and seemed to be in a panic to be free.
I realize that most people think its silly to attribute feelings to plants. I can’t help it. I once read about a study that concluded that plants arched away from a pair of scissors. But since they move so slowly we say they can’t move. If they really did move was it because they didn’t want their blossoms clipped or because they felt pain? I honestly don’t know.
Spring is finally here. The earth is awakening and plants are stretching and growing. Lawn mowers are refusing to start, much to the consternation of their owners. 
People are beginning exercise programs as an excuse to be outside to enjoy the warmth of the season. Our niece is looking forward to running in the Boston marathon. She has been training for more than a year for this event. I think she’s crazy but the opportunity to test herself is what this spring means to her.
To me spring is a time of rebirth. Soon we will be complaining that the sun is too hot and we haven’t had any rain for a while. Enjoy the energizing weather while you can. Spring is here and it’s one of my favorite times of year.
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