February is Garden Porn Season

I know it's February because the Garden Porn has begun pouring into my mailbox. That and while I'm mentally and spiritually oppressed by the cold winter's gloom, I begin to fantasize about gardening. I picture myself in a cute little sun hat, humming a happy tune, while I work industriously tending to my beloved plants that will produce a bounty to fill my family's dinner table with fresh, sustainably grown culinary delights all year long. Heck! Let's add a cute little bird whistling along with me. And maybe my children happily weeding along side me as their knowledge of where their food comes from fills them with life satisfaction. *le sigh* I'll fertilize with my own compost. I'll harvest in a beautiful, sustainably crafted basket that supports a community of women in some war-torn, third world country. I'll prepare some of this harvest fresh and process the rest into BPA-free canned and frozen preserves that fill my pantry and freezer. And I'll smugly think, "Caroline Ingalls, you got nothing on me!" Maybe, I'll have a little clutch of chickens scratching about their yard producing fresh eggs in the most care-free manner.

Won't it be lovely?

Here's the reality. I live in an urban environment with a tiny city lot that I share with 6 children and a 180lb dog. Then, there are those street thug squirrels I told you about. Not to mention the skin melting 90+ degree summers with withering humidity. That and I'm not a maintainer. I may start a fabulous garden, but by July I've grown tired of the work. I forget to water. And those cursed squirrels!

But galldarnit! This year I'm committed to finding a happy medium. Something between the fantasy and the cynicism. I can't be alone in this.  I know some of you are Carolines and some of you are hopeless, but some of you have to want something doable.  Maybe a balcony of tomatoes. Maybe a couple vines of peas. Maybe a small patch of herbs. (Because herbs are practically weeds! And I spend a fortune on them at the market.)

So, I'm suggesting a pact. Who wants to enter into a garden pact with me? We can state our humble plans and then check in every couple of weeks to chart our progress.  We can either do a Facebook check-in or you can blog about your garden and will set a post up to link back to your post.