Marge Piercy

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Small Seder, Early Planting

It has turned quite mild.  No snow at all.  It’s been as high as 62 degrees outside in the last week. Woody began uncovering a few of the perennial beds and the herb garden, just blowing leaves off.  Then he was able plant spinach in the main garden.  Wednesday, I thinned all the seedlings in the greenhouse.  Then I planted the cilantro and the salad bowl lettuce seedlings from the greenhouse.  After that, I put in seven kinds of lettuce seeds.  I was very stiff, but it felt great to be in the garden again working outside. 

One problem we’re facing is a spring drought.  The mainland got some rain during the night between Wednesday and Thursday, but we got not a drop here. Thursday I planted two kinds of arugula, garden cress and radishes in my far raised bed after Woody plowed.  He prepared the ground for the broccoli, bok choic and red cabbage seedligns, but we didn’t have time to plant.  We’ll see if we can get back into his main garden today to gt those seedlings in.  I started them over a month ago and they are raring to go.

Woody does the shopping in Orleans today, including the items we need for the seder tomorrow evening.  I usually write this blog on Saturday but I’ll be cooking all day and preparing for the seder.  We are only having Bonnie and David this year, but I hope next year, it will be more normal.  I cut my Haggadah some, as it had gotten quite long.  I got about 5 pp. out.  I mailed them the music Monday.  I hope iet gets there in time for them to practice. Today I’ll make the charoset.  in spite of my being Ashkenazi, I do a Sepharic charoset.  I can’t digest walnuts.  I make it from apples, figs, dates, almonds and of course the spices and kosher wine. I also make a Sephardic dish for the eggs. a fennel, cucumber and hard boiled egg salad with a lemon olive oil dressing with a touch of mint. 

We did manage to plant the broccoli, red cabbage and boi choi seedlings, except for an extra bunch of red cabbage seedlings.  The seeds arrived late and got planted two weeks after the others. I had already given up on that back order and gotr a different kind. So we have three kinds started, but the 3rd type has to wait till it’s bigger.  I have to figure out where to plant calendula this wee that I started a few weeks ago.

Bonnie and David are old friends.  When I started doing seders in the late 70’s and early 80’s, they were among the first crowd.  I did it in Cambridge, where I had a room for a couple days a week and then in a pied-a terre Woody and I rented.  I had not been able to hold seders with Robert as he had no interest and didn’t want the fuss.