Happy Thursday, Everyone! Spirits are high in Central Kansas this week. Spring’s drizzling rains finally gave way to its cheery sunshine and everyone seems to walk around with a “spring” in his step. This week (and last) I have been living with my parents so that I could finish out state testing at the elementary school where I work. This Friday, I will move to our new house, which my husband has been in charge of in my absence. It’s a good thing too, since I’m pretty sure he’s living on frozen burritos and months-old pretzels!

These two weeks have been filled with delightful quality time with my folks. Last week, I posted about my seedling-start to this year’s garden. I am happy to announce that a few “babies” came up just for you all, just two days ago! We have seven cilantro plants up, as well as one over-achieving and lonely tomato. (The tomatoes will start coming up now that the sun’s out. They just about won’t germinate when the soil’s not warm.)

I could hardly wait to brag to you all about the other project that I undertook this week! Under the very careful supervision of my unendingly patient dad, I have (eh-HEM) taken on… CARPENTRY! Nothing major, just how to cut a board using an electric saw (yikes!) and then how to put it back together again at a 90 degree angle.

I have successfully learned how to make a simple joint, using screws, a dove-tail joint (which I hugely regret forgetting on my kitchen table this weekend, so I have no picture for you), and a miter-joint, which is a complicated joint, made easy with the use of the miter box.

The joint below is a miter joint, and the yellow box with the saw is the miter box.

See?!

Miter box:

You may wonder why carpentry, but next year, I’d really like to build a cold-frame and try getting a head-start on some long-season veggies, like artichokes, peppers, and herbs. Cold frames are also life-savers when it’s time to start hardening-off your seedlings. (Hardening-off is when you leave the plants outside a little bit each day, until they get used to the outside temperatures. It needs to be well above freezing before you even start this process.

Thank you, everyone, for joining me in my joy this week. I hope you all get a sweet taste of Spring this week and I hope it affects you, as it did me, and makes the whole world seem just wonderful! Until next Thursday…