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Waiting Isn’t for Me

January 11, 2010 by Jeanne

I hate waiting. I’m no good at it. Is anyone good at waiting? Yet I don’t get a choice. Spring won’t come when I will it…it comes when it comes.

All the gardening advice I’m reading about just makes me more and more grumpy. I want spring, and I want it now. (Stamping my foot a la Veruka Salt in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory: “Daddy, make it spring NOW” – I have to laugh. That’s probably what I look like to God this week.)

I tried fussing with my houseplants yesterday. The dollar store, my favorite haunt, had decorative flower pots on sale and I snagged three to give my African violets a face lift. My dendrobium is already dying; I moved him into the family room, hoping that getting him away from the daily blast of heat from the vents and the chilly window will please him. But picking dead flowers off the violets and the overwintering geraniums only made me more depressed.

I sent away for an iris catalog. I sat in my plant room on Saturday afternoon with my little tabletop iris fountain going and read through my Country Gardens magazine, but I couldn’t shut my inner editor up…and now I’m writing a letter to the editor to point out all the mistakes in their African violet article. And I do wish when they show gorgeous gardens that make me drool that 1) they tell me what zone the person is in and 2) they tell me how long it took to get the garden that gorgeous. I mean, come on, if I had million dollars, 20 years, and a perfect zone 7, I’d be on your cover too.

I thought that after church, I’d head over to Lowe’s and Wal Mart and look at flower seeds. That always cheers me up. When I was a little girl, we spent many winter Sunday afternoons wandering the greenhouses at Gardener’s Village, Garden World, and all the garden centers. My dad rarely bought much, but standing in a tropical greenhouse and playing with Pepper the parrot at Gardener’s Village was always fun.

Nope. Nobody had seeds out yet! Lowe’s had the Burpee heirlooms out yet, but I know better than to buy them first. I’ll wait to see what cheap seeds go out at Wal Mart.

So it’s cold, I’m grumpy, my garden is still covered with ice and snow, and I’m like a deer in headlights today with my work projects. I’ve got a pile of work to do, a dog that needs medication from the vet, companies to call to cancel services, and online workshops to plan for my consulting practice. I’ve got writing assignments and marketing work to do and….well, all I want to do is go outside and play in the dirt.

Can someone make it spring? Please?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Teresa

    January 12, 2010 at

    I feel your pain, but at least you are in Virginia so your spring will arrive sooner than ours here in NY. I enjoyed reading your blog and can relate to everything you said. Don’t worry, Spring will get here eventually, won’t it?

  2. tina

    January 12, 2010 at

    Good morning Jeanne. And a very cold morning it is too. My hands are numb just from a few minutes outside so I am right with you stamping my foot for spring. Please let it come soon!

    Sorry to hear about you heat pump. What a mess after only two years. Please tell me what kind so I make sure not to buy it. We had ours replaced by a Tappan a few years ago and so far so good but it is hard selecting a good brand. You have a good day and a Happy New year to you too!

  3. Skeeter

    January 12, 2010 at

    I too am stomping feet for warmer temps 🙂

  4. Jeanne

    January 13, 2010 at

    Hi guys! Thanks for the warm wishes. Teresa, I feel YOUR pain, having moved from Long Island to Virginia….Long Island springs were ridiculously temperamental; it could stay cold until Memorial Day! Yes, you are right; I know we’ll get some 60 degree days by early April.

    Hi Tina – we have a good brand of HVAC and a good mechanic. I think it’s just a fluke of a bad part. At least I hope so! Still haven’t heard from him that our part has arrived…my dog has taken to sleeping near a heating vent, one on the OTHER system that is working.

    Hey Skeeter – LOVE your profile picture.

    Stay warm everyone. THINK SPRING!

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