I want spring!

I know, still January, but I want spring! I am so eager to get outside and plant seeds, rake up winter's mess, and begin to work on a new section of the yard. But this week is still cold and wet.

So instead, I'm making out my gardening plans. I've gone through my seed packets, and begun to fill the gaps where I've run out of favorite vegetable seeds. I've picked up several packets at Dollar Tree, but will need to go to Home Depot for other varieties. I have new gloves to begin the gardening season. I picked these up on clearance at the drug store in October.

I need seed starting soil, but have a large selection of 9-cell seed starters, peat pots, and now am collecting empty peanut butter jars for larger seedlings.

Most of my seedlings will do fine in the small 9-cell seed starters, but some plants need larger starting pots. I'm saving plastic containers to use as seed starters for plants like pumpkin and squash that develop large root systems quickly.  I have over a dozen 10 and 16-oz. plastic, peanut butter jars, already. I'll drill drainage holes in the bottoms, and they should serve well for starting seeds this spring. I like being able to use these one more time, before adding them to the recycle bin.

But I still have to wait another couple of weeks before starting seeds. So hard to wait! Are you doing any armchair gardening this week?

Just a note -- Life is super busy for me this week. If I don't get back to your comments right away, give me a sec. I'm trying to check in and read once or twice a day. Things should settle down come Monday or Tuesday. Hope all is well at your end!

Organizing my desk: my correspondence center

My desk has been in a state of distress for the last couple of months. The holidays, getting my daughters settled at the university, end of the gardening season, and a family who likes to deposit all of their things on my desk, are my excuse.

No more. I need an organized area to work, once again.

One of my recent resolutions is to keep on top of family special events. No one wants to be known as the auntie who's always late with birthday cards. Organizing my supplies will hopefully help in that area. Plus, I'll save a bit of money, as I won't be heading off to the store to buy birthday cards, when I have several to choose from, right here at home.

Maybe you have these, too. Squashed boxes of envelopes in a drawer.

I piled several sizes of envelopes together, and tied with a pretty ribbon.

The ribbon wasn't totally necessary, but it says to me that I care what my desk looks like.

My letter caddy had become a general receptacle for any paper to cross my desk. I emptied it. Then placed the bundle of envelopes in one of the front sections, along with postage stamps, and envelope-sealing stickers.

The backside of the caddy now holds an assortment of greeting cards, homemade and shop-bought, from wedding, to new baby, to get well, and to birthday greetings. Now there is no excuse for me to miss acknowledging a special occasion. I also placed a stack of thank you note cards, as I don't want to be the daughter, sister or friend who forgets to express gratitude.

Are you one of those very organized gals who always has a card ready for the occasion, and is never remiss with a thank you? If so, what is your secret? I've been working on this for the better part of my life, and have only made baby steps of progress!