One flat at a time...

The weather here in Upstate New York keeps going up and down. One day it is stifling hot and we are dripping with sweat. Less than 24 hours later, we are shivering with bits of snow in the air. My allergies are going crazy, my sinuses are giving me headaches and it is just too early for planting. This is what I said as we pulled into the greenhouse yesterday, though I gave the disclaimer that the violas and the pansies would be able to handle the fluctuating temperatures.

E made me wander my favorite nursery for almost an hour. I begged him to not stay too long, because the lure of purchasing flowers would be too much for me. He told me to restrain myself. HA. He has never seen me at a greenhouse before. Last summer, I was so upset about Dad that I just didn't care to work in the yard. This year, though, is a different story. My fingers are itching to get into the dirt and I want to make it look beautiful outside.

We wandered through all of the little greenhouses as he tried to find something to purchase for his mother for next weekend. He was also allowed to peruse ideas for the pots in his yard. (Now, last year, he wasn't interested in adding any flowers. Hanging out with me must have rubbed off a little bit through osmosis, or something.) We bickered over ideas, because we have differing tastes. He also doesn't know as much about flowers as I do. Some of his requests were simply impossible.

I found myself wandering in front of the huge display of violas and pansies, time and time again. This particular greenhouse sells six-packs for $1.99 or a flat for $14.99. He has every color of pansy and viola you can imagine. He also starts everything in waves, so that you can purchase flowers at different points in the season. I just can't help myself. E offered to kick me in the shins or something to distract me. Instead, that just inspired me to pick up a flat of my blues and purples.

How can you resist that beauty?

I would have bought even more, but I was limited in cash and had no debit card on me. I also am realistic and know how much yard clean-up I have to do before devoting much time to planting annuals. I should have been out there all day today, because it was beautiful. But I have these lovely things called parent-teacher conferences that start on Friday. I have 14 scheduled for that day. We write narrative reports that must be approved by my boss prior to being shared with the parents. They can range from 3-5 pages in length per child. Usually I am still working on them through the Wednesday before conferences. I have submitted 11 of them today.

I told myself that this flat of flowers is the dangling carrot toward which I am working. Of course, now that I have gotten a lot of my work done, I have also scheduled three evenings of babysitting after work. I think the flowers will wait for me. And if I am really good, I will buy another flat next weekend. And the weekend after that....and after that....and after that....