a not-so-dormant garden

[dor·mant (dôrmənt): as if in a deep sleep; alive but not actively growing]

My chronic case of gardening fever sets in again in late December, and I start itching to order seeds. I buy a fresh 1-subject notebook and start sketching spring gardening plans. I devour seed catalogues as they come in the mail, occasionally flying across the house to grab a gardening book (or five) to aid in my planning. When I get impatient with dreaming and planning, I walk outside with an errant thought to stir up a little patch of ground and plant something early... but after a minute of FREEZING my butt off, I huff back into the house. 

This year though, I have a handful of edibles that have grown quietly throughout the fall and winter. They inspire me with their simple beauty and fill me with hope for the season to come. 

Lovely lettuces and a random bit of cilantro

My side garden doesn't look like much passing by. But it houses my dormant berries and a smattering of greens that are very much awake.

Arugula. My favorite green.

I think this is tatsoi...

But it might be spinach.

More cilantro. (When did I even plant all of this?)