The Reason There Are Sundays

5:02 p.m.

We spent the day outside working in the garden and yard. Big Daddy put the roof on the new chicken house. Now all that is left is the door and windows and the fencing. I planted the cabbages, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli. The Monkey helped. We planted two cabbages in her garden. She watered them in with the watering can that Grandma F. sent her for Easter. The shallots that she planted for Grandma D. have come up. She also had carrots and radishes coming up as well. They are about a week behind the big garden.

In the big garden everything is thriving. There is a row of lettuces which will be needing some thinning soon. The onions and shallots look fabulous. The peas, carrots, beets and radishes are looking rather healthy. By far the most satisfying sight are the tiny purple-green spears of asparagus poking out of their new bed. There is something permanent about starting a bed of asparagus. You have to dig the bed so deep and spread out the roots. Then you must slowly mound up the soil as the shoots grow. Then you've got to sit back and wait a year or two before you can harvest that first harvest. It's the patience thing. I'm growing asparagus. I'm growing patience.

We'll be planting the potatoes in a few days. I think I may go out and buy my tomato and pepper plants, but wait another week or two before planting. Then it will be time for all the warm weather crop seeds to go in.

I've cleaned out the herb and flower beds as well. Today Monkey and I planted echinacea and poppies.

We had a guest for dinner tonight. Our new friend Andrew came out. Big Daddy smoked some country style ribs (mmm, pork....). He made some spicy cole slaw and threw together some baked beans. Good company and good food. Monkey found a new captive audience. We sat on the front porch until the sun went down. Monkey made a wish on the evening star and waited for the constellations to come out. What almost three year old knows constellations? She scares me sometimes. But in a good way.

After Andrew left Monkey had her bath and we read her favorite book, Olivia. Then she fell asleep in her new big girl bed. I am tired and slightly sunburned. It was a perfect Sunday.