I am brilliant, I say!

Last year I planted a lovely garden: tomatoes in three varieties - or was it four? Bell peppers, jalapenos, artichokes, cantaloupe, yellow squash and zucchini. You can imagine our wonderful bounty - NOT!

I'm not sure what the problem was, but my two theories are that our soil stinks and that the area I planted doesn't get enough sun.

So! I made a new plan for this year. My plan involved container planting and scoping out my yard to figure out which parts actually DO get plenty of sun. The containers I had in mind were galvanized steel tubs, which I thought would make adorable planters but which Alif does not want me to destroy by way of will-rust drainage holes. Well, boo. But wait! Raised beds - yes, raised beds would be even better!

So now. I drew up a diagram of our yard. I made several copies. Then I set out at 10 am and colored all the sunny parts with a yellow crayon and all the shady parts with a purple crayon. I repeated the procedure at 12 pm.

Then I came in and showed Alif my handiwork. He was curious so I explained what the colors represent and said, "The sun shifted!". His face instantly turned to sarcasm-central and he said, "You're kidding! You don't say!" Now, I know general wisdom dictates that sarcasm is rude but it makes me laugh, and laugh I did. Well, that set him off. He said, "You would really have been something back when!" Then, in deep voice as though he were presenting someone strangely fabulous: "The world is not flat! The sun mooooves!"

Maybe it's just my strange sense of humor but I was literally doubled over laughing with tears in my eyes. Ha!