So Much To Do

The last frost date for Chicago (according to the Botanic Gardens) is April 25th. I've been feeling good, because I'm getting ready early, right? Well, to quote Chandler from Friends:

"Not so much."

Because I'm planting cool-season and frost tolerant varieties of lettuce, onion, carrots, etc., they want to be planted three to four weeks before the last frost date. Add to that time span is the week of acclimating seedlings to the outdoors, and suddenly, things need to be happening now.

But I'm not ready now.

I still have 2/3 of the garden to cultivate, the berry beds to start, the tomato ring to build, etc., etc., etc. It's a bit overwhelming, and it somehow snuck up on me. Luckily, my parents-in-law will be here next weekend to help celebrate Eleanor's 5th(!) birthday, and they always like to do projects. I figure I'll dragoon them into helping me plant, because they have long years of experience working with bigger gardens than I'll ever have.

But I can't exactly leave the heavy digging to Melissa's dad, so I'd better get busy.

Sigh. If only the task list was "not so much."