spring is here

And with spring comes champagne in the neighbors garden and a chance to rejuvenate the back yard and turn it into a positive entertaining space. This means the following weeks will include:

• Raking the yard and applying a fresh layer of cedar mulch in the backyard, planting flowers and ground cover on the recently uncovered patch of front yard.
  
• Planting the container garden. On tap for this year: herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, berries of some sort, peppers, and maybe a few wild cards for experimentation purposes
  
• Grilling
  
• Clearing out the old plastic furniture and picking out something a little more entertainment-worthy. Recommendations for how to do this without spending a ton of money are welcome.
  
• Involving Banana in all of this to every extent possible
  
• Spring Break without the annual NY trip — rising costs in daily life and uncertainty about the cost of summer camp and travel are putting a damper on the tradition... this year.
  
• Final development and launching of the Lewis Ginter Recreation Association web site
  
• Unmitigated excitement about the arrival of farmers market and pool season
  
• Spring beers and the first summer beers
  
• Rabbit. If I'm not getting to NY, we'll at least fill my rabbit jones with something like a Spanish rabbit stew. Suggestions are welcome!
  
• A likely trip to Busch Gardens. Banana had such a good time down there with Mère that I might just have to give in and make the trip too.
  
• Continuing the ever-present sorting and organizing inside the house too.
  
• The annual spring/summer Banana clothing purchase
  
• and grilling...