I woke up to snow on Monday that continued through the morning. The grass was completely covered. The streets were filled with puddles and small rivers were speeding down the sides of them, headed for the storm drains. Rain water was pouring off my gutterless roof, splashing into the pools below. I winced, knowing that had this been my own property, I would have already installed rain barrels, to catch the precious liquid; but all I could do was watch with dismay as it grew into small rivulets to sink or run away forever.
Two feet from the back of the house, I have installed a raised bed which, praise be to God, I had completed Sunday afternoon – only hours before the rain came. On a whim, I mixed together the seeds from nine different flower seed packets. Each of them recommended planting two weeks before the last frost and that is exactly where we are. I tossed them along the center of the garden bed, leaving the outer edges for tucking in herbs and vegetables later on. All of the seeds were two years old, or older, so the chance of germination is decreased. Still, what have I got to lose? It seems like the most sensible way to make short work of creating a flower garden, which I may or may not be able to stay and enjoy. I will let Nature decide where, when, and if the seeds germinate. The blanket of snow that had covered them and melted by noon, followed by last night’s rain of about an inch, should give them an excellent start.
I am anxious to see what flowers I will be rewarded with, but my heart breaks when I see so much rainwater being wasted, running down the drain and gone forever.
