I miss dirt. Snow has been on the ground continuously since the end of November. It has increased and receded several times. Yesterday brought an increase. I shoveled the driveway after work today, and imagined the crocuses under their blanket of snow. It’s very likely that they are aware of the lengthening daylight hours, and are sending little green spikes upward. But they won’t feel the wind for weeks yet.

Seed catalogs are scattered around the house. The one from Annie’s Amazing Nursery just arrived to entice my eyeballs with colorful photos and zippy graphic design. I’m thinking of flowers and radishes and my favorite ‘Red Sails’ lettuce. Tomato seeds have germinated in the little propagator under the grow light.

Sigh.

It’s not time yet. My fingers are itching to feel the warming soil and the dry little seeds that I shake out of packets.

My bit of wonderment for the day was to slide the top of the beehive back and catch the sweet whiff of beeswax that comes up. The creatures themselves are awake and moving with purpose down in the depths of the frames. Last week I cooked up some sugar syrup for them, and they are taking it from the feeder at the entrance to the hive.

Patience. The other day I left a muddy boot track in the house, and didn’t really mind. The dirt will be back soon.