Adventures in Gardening

Here are some things Spilly did while we attempted to dig a vegetable garden and generally clean up the yard.

1. Meticulously examined her play gym and loudly announced each defect in workmanship. "Mommy, this swing is CROOKED. Mommy. Mommy. MOMMY. Did you know this swing is CROOKED?"

2. Kept saying grimly, "I'm allergic to worms. Hey, guess what? I'm allergic. Do you know what I'm allergic to? WORMS."

3. Stood on the deck and sang a play-by-play of what was going on, complete with outrageous vibrato: "Weeee are in the garrrrdeeeeeennnnnnn...."

4. Named the new garden, "Seed Secrets."

5. Discovered a whole pile of bright-red lily beetles who, we're sure, are responsible for the swift demise of our day lilies last year.

6. Sneaked around the pine tree several times so as not to disturb the mourning dove in the nest.

7. Changed coats three times and changed mitts two times.

8. Helped poke holes for turnips. Was asked to poke them in a straight line. The line might be considered straight by a drunken person on a ship on a stormy night. Cheerfully poured forty seeds into each hole. The turnips will probably rise up in the night and massacre us in our beds.

9. Kept shouting, "Oh, I'm SO EXCITED!! WE'RE GARDENING!!!"

10. Lined up all the snails we found from smallest to largest and spoke to them tenderly: "Don't worry, little snails. It's okay. We're just making a vegetable garden."