Heavy equipment and sweaty men

House building has begun in earnest. Jay Scott and his super-backhoe made the basement hole bigger and deeper and squarer. Scott Woodward and his crew are building forms and pouring concrete. Shirtless young men smooth and scrape in the hot sun. The footings at the bottom of the basement look like they could sustain an eleven story building.

I'm off to Chicago and Saint Paul - 10 days away. Good news is I'll make money and see friends. But it is hard to leave a vegetable garden in springtime. Pat guarantees that last nights 39 degrees was the lowest temp we'll see until fall, so my tomato plants should be safe while I'm away. Peas are 3 inches tall. Chard and beets and turnips, radishes and even carrots have all sprouted. And 6 pounds of seed potatoes are in the ground. Enough to last the winter if all goes as planned.

Bill promises to water, and I know all will be well. Still, it's hard to tear myself away.