Me and my Green Thumb Jasmine Dreams

I'm not sure what's come over me but earlier this week I was actually contemplating taking up gardening! In some ways I guess it's not that odd given that after I started both cooking and exercising I realized how much I enjoyed both. I was wrong in being against those things for so long, so maybe I'm wrong about gardening too? If I did take it up, I'd like to look like the Green Thumb Girl in the picture above - complete with a pink headband, overalls and gold boots!

As much as I like Green Thumb Girl's style, though, I'm not sure, realistically, I could really embrace gardening... I've never been one who enjoys sitting on grass, let alone in dirt. And really, I think I'd want to take up gardening just to plant one thing (which is where this whole idea started the other day): jasmine. I have loved that flower, and its intoxicatingly lovely smell since my first conscious recollection of smelling it in Berkeley five years ago. I associate jasmine with hills and fences and bright blue skies and hot expansive sunshine and happiness. Without fail I feel cheerier after walking by jasmine. I am very fortunate because even though I no longer live in Berkeley, which I swear abounds in jasmine in the spring and summertime, a neighbour of mine down the street has the most lovely garden with a whole half block long of fence covered with an expanse of jasmine. I can smell it from a block away, which makes for very pleasant walks. I think its scent is also stronger in hot weather because earlier this week it was so warm and the jasmine was especially fragrant.

So yes, after passing through a cloud nine of jasmine for the 5th time in 48 hours a few days ago, I decided I'd like to garden just to grow some jasmine. My dreams, however, got somewhat squashed when an internet search revealed that jasmine only grows in warm climates, which effectively means I don't think I could grow it in Toronto. I don't think Green Thumb Girl would give up though... and so I shouldn't too! If I am really serious about gardening (which for the time being remains doubtful but we will see!) then I will just have to research plants that grow in all climates!

April Showers?

I have realized over the past few days that I find April a very confusing month weather and season wise. I've actually always liked the saying "April Showers Bring May Flowers" but it's been so long since I've ever known that to be true...

In warm climate places like Austin, April, at least to me, is really no different from March. Both months have very hot days interspersed with much colder ones. Although on the whole the days are warm. April probably has more thunderstorms than March, and the end of April is notably different from the beginning of March temperature wise, but all in all, April does not stand out as being that distinct from either March or May.

It's in places that have real winters with snow where April has me all confused. In Toronto on Thursday I was talking with A. who assured me that the leaves don't come out there until the beginning of May. Whereas in Vancouver, where A. used to live, leaves apparently bloom much earlier. The past few days in Toronto seemed more wintery than spring like - true there was no snow but neither was there any green anywhere, only varying shades of brown. I used to unequivocally think April was spring. But now I think I need to reassess. May, with all its flowers (which seem to appear regardless of April) is a much better representation of spring. I used to think March was the bridge between winter and spring but now I think it's April, without a doubt.