Chive Talkin’

I planted chives twenty years ago and promptly ignored them ever since, save for the occasional raid with a pair of kitchen shears to supplement whatever meal called for them. Chives are both effortless and generous, multiplying and at the ready when you need them. Unlike the more celebrated basil, chives don’t need to be replanted every year. They require nothing but good soil, sun and an occasional drink. And this time of year they also show a little personality with showy purple crowns.

Today is a glorious June Saturday in New England. The kind of day you envision when you suffer through the bleakest days of January. The kind of Saturday you yearn for on a Tuesday. There’s a reason people schedule weddings for June and it’s days like this. Many options present themselves on beautiful Saturdays. I chose to be in the garden. We talk about downsizing and moving someplace with less maintenance, but I know I’d miss the gardening. And so I muck about in soil and sweat trying to make the most of my time with it. Life is short, and there are only so many perfect June Saturdays.