User blog comment:Freelance Grammar Nazi/Planting Sunflowers for Russia!/@comment-2056547-20100513033423

In Washington things are finally warming up, so I feel bad for you guys who are still dealing with snow! I've never been any farther north than Mill Creek, so I wouldn't know what it's like in Canada right now, sadly. I also sympathize with the people lamenting snow-less winters, though. I remember one time in Sonora, TX when they shut down school because we got a half inch! It was hilarious.

I'm not an experienced gardener, but I'm having fun despite the creepy-crawlies in the garden. I spent a lot of time around a barn last summer that was infested with bees, and because freaking out would've spooked the horses, I learned to deal with them calmly, even though I don't like them.

I can't stand spiders, though. I'm the manliest of the girls in my group of friends, so they laugh when I squeal and do the "HOLYCRAPKILLITKILLITKILLIT" dance. I'm not ashamed though. Really. /shiftyeyes

Planters on the balcony work well! I lived in apartments my entire life until I moved two weeks ago, so I'm enjoying being able to frolic in an actual yard. The only thing about planting sunflowers in boxes is that the larger varieties don't do as well. Smaller varieties will thrive, but if you'd like some Mammoth Russians you'll need a big pot. Random fact: they sell giant terracotta (around two feet in diameter) ones at IKEA that are PERFECT. Just impossible to move. Seriously, you'd need to enlist the help of Sweden himself to pick it up. Fortunately there were no spiders around, so I got my man on and hefted it up three flights of stairs. XD It was totally worth it.