Happy May! After two days of slow rain, the skies are beginning to clear, and I am itching, itching, to get outside and start planting my mid-spring entries. Today, dahlia tubers and nasturtium and sunflower seeds; possibly zinnia, okra, and bean seeds. Plus, I might take a ride out to one of the nurseries and do some impulse buying. Why say "might"? I'll definitely do some impulse buying.

Tomorrow we're taking a family jaunt into western Maine to do some bog canoeing, and I have hopes of foraging fiddleheads while we're out there. I did plant edible ostrich ferns in the garden, and they're coming up strong, but it will be years, if ever, before they give me more than a handful. I also, much to Paul's skeptical amusement, planted three ramps I bought in the produce section at Whole Foods. They had their roots and root hairs, and I thought, Why not? The funny thing is that they seem to have taken hold, so maybe in a few years I'll have a mini-forage plot right here in the city.

So today will be mud and dirt and puddles, with steaks grilled over the fire for dinner. I plan to do no housework, other than laundry and cooking and dishes. Meanwhile, the boys will be prepping for tomorrow's trip: putting in the new thwart that Tom made, gathering this and that so we can get onto the water as early as possible. If you don't hear from me in the morning, don't worry. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.