Having just finished reading Paradise Lot: Two Plant Geeks, One-tenth of an Acre and The Making of an Edible Garden Oasis in the City by Eric Toensmeier with contributions from Jonathan Bates, I'm looking forward to completing the task of cleaning up the yard and removing evidence of the harsh winter beating.  I look forward to this activity every spring but reading Paradise Lot has me more excited than usual.  The book has also inspired me to take our backyard garden to the next level of productivity and efficiency.

A quote from the book that resonated with me:

"I try to remember that water is a borrowed element.  It has been moving through our environment and our bodies for billions of years.  We can either ignore how humans are part of this cycle and flush water away, or we can slow it, spread it, and sink it--using it as it moves through our landscapes and lives."

The addition of at least two more water barrels will be made to our backyard this year.  The longer we have our present duo, the clearer it is how foolish and irresponsible it is not to catch rainwater and use it for watering plants and the garden beds when the season is dry.  Heck, I dream of having a 1000 gallon cistern in our yard.

The boys of Paradise Lot have their own blog!

Meanwhile, the color green is slowly returning to the Midwest and I could not be more delighted. Perennial flower bulbs are growing at a bionic rate and very soon the flower beds will explode with color. It finally looks and feels like spring.