I have been scanning the yard for true signs of Spring after my Robin Redbreast discovery. The grass is greening more each day and a true “leafing out” of trees and shrubs, it seems, would seal the promise for sure.

The first to debut – the lilacs!

And that is huge considering that the old hedge on Mt. Faith encompasses two sides of almost one acre. I’ve been running up and down the line cheering them on at the same time I am feeling complicated, coupled with just a mild trepidation that we might, possibly could, experience one more freeze before it’s officially spring. And then what? Will my lovely promise wither and die? Abort before the true due date?

In California whenever there was prediction of a frost (and yes, we did have an occasional freeze in Atascadero) we would run outside and throw a blanket over the Myers’s Lemon tree on the deck. Somehow I can’t foresee amassing enough blankies for the lilacs.

So I wait and watch and hope it’s really Spring. It certainly seems to be on the agenda. This morning we had a light, warm rain. One that reminded me of the lovely tune from Uncle Walt’s “Bambi” – “Drip, drip, drip, little April showers . . .”  Except it’s March!

T.M. surprised me yesterday by professing a desire to build our own “Square Foot Gardening” plot. That’s how “pixilated” (see also “Bambi”) he has become with the oncoming season. He always professed to wanting to “garden with me” when we both retired, but so far it’s remained merely a promise and not a true pursuit. We’ve already argued over the necessary size, but I think he’s come around to my point and we’ve ordered the deer fencing from Amazon and bought a proper spading shovel from Home Depot.

Square Foot Gardening was a highly rated PBS show of the 1980”s where Mel Bartholomew, a former engineer, created a new formula for the backyard horticulturalist which incorporated something of the French Intensive method, companionate planting, organic gardening, and all in line with sensible practices. With the “All New Square Foot Gardening – Grow More in Less Space!” in hand, we’re ready to begin and I will report on the progress step by step.

In the mean time, my new gardening partner (who doubles as my personal chef)  has celebrated the promise of Spring by serving us great barbeque two days in a row. First the ultimate burger with a red onion braise. And last night, chuck eye steak and salad.

Just for the record, he marinated the meat overnight in a zip lock bag with soy sauce (it has to be Kikkoman, or a real fermented sauce, he says – not a cheaper variety made of salt and molasses), sesame oil, ginger, Chinese 5 spice, and red wine.  The salad, with bell pepper, cabbage, and cashews, had a dressing of similar ingredients – soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger – with the addition of a dash of fish sauce, rice vinegar, and vegetable oil.

I guess I’ll have to forgive him for giving me a major drubbing in our two first crochet games of the possibly new season.