Rainy days in the seed room

First of the seedlingsWhat a relief.  It's rained a little in the last couple days, bringing our monthly total rainfall up to an inch.  Usually we get between 3 or 4 inches in the month of March...it's been a dry winter and it's been looking like a dry spring.

Which sets me to worry.  (Not that that's very hard to do...I seem to be prone to fretting.)  But I do worry about the impact of such a warm and dry couple months.  Especially when driving past the rivers, at such low levels.  Seeing no snowmelt streaming down.  Reading the forest fire warnings of recent days.  Witnessing the apperance of mosquitos in March.  These are not good signs.

But what is there to do, but go forward?  I'm thinking about all kinds of rainwater catchment--rain barrels off of gutters, improving the soil to be able to absorb the water when it comes, planting rain gardens with water-loving plants.  I'm thinking about reducing the strain on the well, about conserving water, low-flow showerheads, remembering to shut off the water while washing dishes.  I'm thinking about people who've lived with drought for years, who walk for miles to get fresh water.  I feel lucky, grateful, and still worried.

So today I'm going to soothe my soul by planting some seeds.  It's finally time to start the peppers and the eggplants, and next week, I'll start the tomatoes.  I love these little guys.  Who knew you could have such love for a whole family of plants?  But I do love the solanaceae, or nightshade family.  Those sun-loving plants that are so colorful and delicious.

When they are just the tiniest of seeds, it's hard to imagine them growing into a 3 wide tall eggplant, or a 5 foot tall tomato plant, or a pepper plant with hundreds of chiles on it.  But they do, with a little tending and attention.  And some water.

So let's give thanks today for the rain, whereever we are.  Think of the tomatoes to come.