I cheered myself up last weekend by looking for something to bring me summer now.  Or at least the hope of summer. It arrived today in a parcel that fitted into the mail box.

Getting mail is always and exciting thing and checking the mail box when you’re expecting something makes that moment jingling with the keys even more of a fiddle.  It seems I have no problem opening the little door when there are bills in there for me to collect.

This parcel is not just something to cheer me up but another small step towards achieving the Domestic Executive Dream.

My parcel was packed with huge possibilities.  Thousands in fact if I take care of them properly. Yes this parcel of summer potential is going to put food on our table from our backyard pantry.

I’ve been seed shopping for Spring.  All I need now is a big enough kitchen garden in.  I’m working on that by getting revised estimates from our landscapers to do the ground works and install the rabbit fencing.  These are the bits that are definitely left to the professionals.  I’ll concentrate on what we’re going to put into the ground.

I have picked our some basics that I know we’ll enjoy.  Lots of tomatoes and herbs.

Also, lots of summer salads.

As well as a range of staple vegetables.

And a wide range of beans and peas.

The culinary prospects if all these seeds come to fruition are going to be exciting.  It’s going to take some organsation and a detailed plan to bring these packets of seeds to life and onto the plate with a steady flow of crops throughout the summer and into next winter.  The system will have to be rather more scientific than the one I used this year.  That will of course be part of the fun.  I can feel a spreadsheet coming on.

It’s probably also time for me to start reading my vegetable gardening books again to make notes of all the top tips for making your kitchen garden a success.  More importantly I’ll be quizzing Grandad Sam on his secrets of successful growing.

The own grown revolution is growing her in New Zealand with more and more people looking to increase their self sufficiency.  Just as well as if I plant out all these seeds I’ll have enough food to feed a small army.  Now that’s a nice thought!