Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”. It is the practice of indulgence (i.e. eat, drink, be merry…) before Ash Wednesday. The spiritual worth of indulgence is perhaps questionable from a spiritual point-of-view. Debauchery is debauchery? Lent or no Lent…n’est pas? Perhaps…So we’ll at least try and keep our debaucheries rated PG (i.e. involving various forms of sugar) in true Spy Garden style. Tomorrow the church season of Lent begins (where ideally one reflects on how Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days)…but more on that tomorrow. For today we feast. On leftover jambalaya and king cake. For our Mardi Gras started yesterday (Lundi Gras!), Aunt Spy’s birthday.

Birthday card made by the Spy

Festive flowers

King Cake…yes, that’s a plastic baby and yes, that baby is supposed to be INSIDE the cake (we fixed that)

And…

The piece de resistance…

A birthday gift from Spy Garden to Aunt Spy…

A “Coral Cactus”

It’s a warm-weather cactus, I just brought it outside to take a few pictures of it with better lighting. Aunt Spy likes mermaids and this plant really reminded me of…

A Mermaid’s Tail.

The top edges of the plant will turn reddish pink if put in a sunny location.

In other early March festivities, we’ve proclaimed March first the start of Spy Garden spring and the season is off to a great start. A few inches of snow and a little ice on Sunday, Negative 10 (Farenheit) wind chill factor yesterday and today: 45 and sunny (also known as “balmy”). Sounds like spring, non?! I’m eager to start planting some seeds (indoors) and plan to start with the eggplants. I purchased some potting soil and the dogs were kind enough to help me open the package:

Thanks!

Gratuitous Spy Garden shot from today (not too much new going on!)

Lundi Gras Sunrise. Cold piles of dirt/compost at Fick’s

Mardi Gras Sunrise. I spy rows…spring is here! (Missouri River Valley)

Happy Mardi Gras Everyone!