Spring in Marianivka

Mid-April and mid-spring in Marianivka Selo (Village). The apricot trees are in full bloom. Our tree is alive with bees, as are all the neighbouring trees. After the apricots will be the cherries, then the apples. Tulips and daffodils are in full bud, with some flowers already in several gardens that get early heat.

All our perennials are up and our two lilies will bloom in time for Easter (Paskha) which falls on April 27th. Tanya has green onions, garlic, carrots and peas planted as well as many annual flowers. We will not plant potatoes and will buy what we need from other villagers. Tanya has several dozen tomato plants ready to transplant and will buy enough more to make up about 200 plants of several different varieties. (Our neighbour Lucia will have 400 tomato plants). We will buy cabbage and other bedding plants in the local market, possibly tomorrow morning.

On Thursday we bought 18 rose bushes in Dnipropetrovs’k for about $40. If they all survive and prosper our front yard will be very beautiful. I am not allowed in the garden at planting time as I am “too heavy and will pack the soil so nothing will grow” Oh, darn. So I haul water (until we can find a decent quality garden hose), cut and sharpen stakes for row markers and take my puppies, Volk and Bobik for walks so we are out of the way.

Today, Saturday, all the village gardens are full of people, mostly planting potatoes, which is the heaviest work so needs all available hands.