For a few days last week, temperatures soared into the high fifties. Great slabs of ice and banks of snow melted away, and the outlines of my flower beds emerged at last. I was tempted to begin the work of clearing out winter’s debris, perhaps even organize and prepare seed trays, but I knew that the lovely weather was not here to stay. Indeed, we had snow squalls all of Saturday morning – so much for an early spring.

Instead, I opened up boxes and envelopes that had been accumulating on my desk: the hopes and dreams of planting season. Their warm and vivid colors were a delightful antidote to the dull greys and browns of the landscape I could see through my windows. Sorting through them, I began thinking of drawing maps and time tables for their planting. Closing my eyes, I could imagine looking out upon them some July morning while walking barefoot through grass still heavy with cool morning dew.