As someone who loves winter, even I have my limits. By this time of year, I begin dreaming of spring flowers and summer breezes but those are still far enough off that I try to suppress those thoughts and focus on what needs to be done in the here and now, instead.

Like starting my indoor seedlings so I can get a head start on my herbs and vegetable garden. And clearing out the space under the stairs so I can hopefully have a small but efficient root cellar this year. I’m pretty excited about that project.

But then, of course, doing those things make me start dreaming, yet again, of the coming spring and summer and even the fall harvest, which seem oh-so-far away still. Part of me knows, though, that it won’t be long and the front pond will look like this again…

Ahhh.

Not until I put a lot of work into weeding, first, though. That I don’t necessarily look forward to! Especially since I am allergic to most of them.

Then there’s the heat and the wasps which will arrive and threaten to murder me. As someone living with mastocytosis, anaphylaxis from heat and the threat of a deadly wasp or bee sting is always present so I have to take precautions all year long to insure they don’t get to me. It means opening windows when I cook, showering in cool water and staying vigilant when doing things like cleaning closets or washing curtains.

More than once I’ve found a wasp hiding in the house at right about this time of year, waiting out the cold! Which is enough to give me a heart attack without them ever making a move in my direction.

Then there’s the pollen issue, which can also do me in but I have managed to find flowers and plants that are more agreeable with my wonky immune system, so that helps. I still have to keep my EpiPens close by and overdose on antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers to get through the summer months, but I manage pretty well.

The rewards far outweigh the risks.

Well, mostly.

Hmm.

Now that I think about it, I guess I’m okay with winter lasting just a little while longer. 🙂