Almost Spring

Here in the Wet Coast it felt like spring today. My little plot was pretty much just as I had left it all covered up in leaves. The garlic is coming up a bit. The leaves did their job and the soil looked great underneath.

Surprisingly there was quite a bit of activity out there today. I think everyone is chomping at the bit to get going. I have to content myself with putting lime in the beds for now but it won't be long.

I am kind of falling by the wayside with my try a new recipe a week resolution. My excuse is that I didn't feel that great so I might have to do two next week. I think I would like to try another from a beautiful cookbook that I received for Christmas "What Katie Ate." The design of the book is gorgeous and since Katie is a food photographer and graphic artist the results are quite stunning. I tried a shrimp and sun dried tomato fettuccine dish which was really good. Someone else blogged about a Vietnamese salad which looked interesting so that might be my next venture. She has a website as well where she posts recipes and some of her beautiful photography.

Because I enjoy good food and like making it that is probably why I grow my own food. That and the fact that it is pretty rewarding to watch things grow. I haven't quite decided whether I will grow anything unusual this year, probably not, but I do plan to grow lots more herbs, a different type of kale and some rainbow swiss chard. I'm trying now to flag any recipes that use some of the more unusual vegetables to try when they are ready. My problem is I get so busy and then forget where the recipes are or where I saw them. I definitely want to try working more kale into my diet. It is pretty easy to sneak into things.

Pussy willow at the garden