The gardeners blood is beginning to thaw and stir...

We've had a few nice days now and the slightly warmer temps combined with a few sightings of sunshine have begun to awaken the slumbering obsession. "She starts, she moves, she seems to feel the thrill of life along her keel." (One of ol' Henry Longfellows, not mine)
Time to finish plans and start new ones. Time to get out the seed magazines and check out the new varieties. Time to make sure the compost is steamy and that black rotting gold is ready for plant consumption. Spring is shaking off winters icy fetters and tulips, daffodils and gardeners are poking out their heads in anticipation.
I am not to be left behind. Yesterday I placed my Johnny's Seeds order. I am adding a few and just reordering some from last year. I always am under duress about whether to reorder all new seeds as the others might have gotten damp or old. (do older seeds have a harder time grow like we do?) or to use last years as it would be a waste not to use them. Well this year, I stuck with all of the old ones I can. Some of the packets had started to sprout, so I threw those away. Also some of the pelleted seeds were breaking down so I tossed those as well. I am going to wait until the end of February to actually plant things in my garage, but my fingers are itching to start.