Warmer weather rituals

Just about this time each year we begin a series of rituals which prepare us for the warmer weather. This weekend marked the start of that series. It begins very subtly at Chez Ragged. I pull out a pair of sandals to wear whenever I take the garbage out. We start talking about a potential tomato garden. I begin to notice daffodils blooming along the fence row. We open the window for a few hours in the afternoon. We remove the extra blanket from the bed.

And then we move from baby steps to bigger leaps. We check out the lawn mower, change the oil in the weedeater, mow for the first time. . .

This weekend centered around the embrace of impending summer and spring. Planning for a tomato garden turned to actual preparation of the planting bed. We began trimming low-lying limbs and dusting off of our lawn chairs.

Perhaps one of the biggest markers in the change of season here is the status of the grill. Late last fall it was tucked away in the garage where it waited anxiously until a few warm days gave us the courage to bring her out again. On Saturday our little grill saw the light of day. She got a good cleaning. We surprised her with new briquettes and christened her with veggie burgers. Today we put her to the test again, this time inviting her to cook marinated Portabella mushrooms.

Another important mile marker in the preparation stage is the rotation from bulky, warm sweaters, to short sleeved t-shirts and cotton blouses. It's a bit of a chore, given the limited closet and drawer space we have. At first just a few brighter colors and shorter sleeves appear in the laundry and before I know it, I am pulling out a tub of shirts, gently hanging them on hangers, stowing them in drawers. In the meantime sandals start appearing beneath the bed.

Today we did dust off the lawn chairs; me knitting as Cynical read. Freddie accompanied us, crawling into our laps and sunning himself, hungry for attention. We even took a walk around our neighborhood, spying the true homes of some other kitty visitors, admiring the Cherry, Tulip Poplar and Bradford Pear trees all in full bloom; smiling as others enjoyed the 80-plus temperatures by getting good use out of their porch swings.

And little by little, we start to emerge from winter, just as my daylillies will soon open up.

Above is a shot of a little experiment: our first grilling of mushrooms on the grill. Basted with a little mixture of extra virgin olive oil, balsalmic vinegar and a little basil, we tossed them on the grill and dined on them this evening. Not bad for a little of this and a little of that.