We had our annual half-hearted snow yesterday, most of which melted the moment it hit the ground. I think it started up again last night, so there’s just a little dusting over the whole backyard this morning.

I spent part of last week building the new 12 foot bed on the right. In a week or so, I’ll plant the red onion slips and red and white potatoes I have waiting in the kitchen. In April, I’ll add okra, which I’ve now learned gets so tall, I can’t reach the pods to harvest when they’re in the taller raised beds. Who knew?

Inside, I’m already starting on the spring garden. When I pulled up the sweet potato vines from the front yard beds, I saved the little potato roots from two of them, and put them into a margarine tub of potting soil. Sure enough, they started to sprout after about a week under a plastic cover. In another week or so, I’ll start pinching off bits to root, so by the time the weather gets warm, I’ll have plenty of plants for the front yard, and to share with Bad Neighbor, who always asks for cuttings when I start trimming it back.

I’m also rooting cuttings from both the lavender and orange lantana from this year’s garden. The lavender is often hard to find, and this year’s orange was so beautiful, I really wanted to try to preserve it. Since lantana dies back here in the winter. I decided to try doing soft wood cuttings, and so far, they seem to be doing well.

Last week, I started the first of the seeds. On the kitchen window sill are purple and yellow coneflowers, and zinnias. I’m hoping to start some sunflowers shortly, as well as tomatoes and chiles for the vegetable garden.

Soon. Spring will be here soon.