February

I can't believe it's here already. I used to dread February when we lived in NJ. Sure, it's a short month, but it's sandwiched between January and March. You're full swing into that post-holiday I-guess-its-really-winter decline, but spring is still a couple of months away. Valentines Day is in there, but who really cares about that? February is a rough one for most folks in colder climates. And don't get me started on March...

 

Down here it's the complete opposite. Our "winter" is over by now. I define a Houston winter as a period of time when high temperatures are well below 50. We had it for about two or three weeks this year, accompanied by cold rain. We've been back up into the 70's since the end of January. It'll still get cold at night, but I'm calling it... It's springtime.

 

And since its warm here again, February brings with it all the usual springtime stuff: flowers, open windows, BBQ'ing, and of course, landscaping and getting a garden started. Ahhh, gardening. A relaxing hobby that gives back to you in the form of a rich bounty of herbs, flowers, fruits, and veggies. Or, in my case, that dusty patch of earth in our yard and half empty pots with dried, dead plants that thrived prior to being placed in my care.

 

I have a love hate relationship with gardening. I can grow a seedling like nobody's business. That shit thrives, y'all. It's the part afterwards that results in death, frustration, and a yard barren of all fancy vegetation. I'm convinced the only reason our grass looks so nice is because its where the dogs shit. Free fertilizer!

 

Anyway, I'm going to try my hand at some landscaping again this year. Hopefully I can turn my thumb green and actually get some stuff to grow. I don't really have any garden plans, but I'm sure I'll put some herbs and peppers into some patio pots. Our main focus is on our front yard.

 

 

Yeah sure, it looks nice in that picture. What we didn't know is that stuff grows out of control down here in the perpetual sunshine. We're planning to rip out a lot of the ground vegetation in the beds and replace it with more manageable plants. Namely, hostas and palms. It's going to be a big job, but it needs to be done.