I’ve made my annual resolution again. No not the one like you do at the New Year, this is my annual spring resolution. Every year when I see those gorgeous daffodils spreading sunshine even when there is no sun I vow that I will plant some bulbs this fall. And this year I’ve added get and plant to the list.

A neighbor has a whole patch of daffodils, pink tulips and paper whites by their front door. It’s like looking at a Monet painting every time I pass their house. Another Hansvillian that lives up by Buck Lake has hyacinths as a border along the street side of their property. They’re all different vibrant colors and give the passerby such a lift of spirit to see them standing there at attention just looking so smart and reliable.

Anyone that knows me will be laughing about now. They will be saying, “You are going to garden?”  “Well,” I would say back to them, “maybe!”  Planting bulbs is fun and not like the hard work of pulling weeds or feeding the lawn or mowing or all the other myriad of things yards need. With planting bulbs, you dig a hole, put the little darling in, either on its side or whatever the instructions say, and stand by for results the next spring.

Twenty years ago when we built our house, the landscape people built a rockery along the driveway. I was still commuting to Seattle but one weekend I bought and planted 100 daffodils and 100 tulips and 100 crocuses in this long bed. I could just envision the beauty of the spring. I went to work on Monday and that night came home to find more than half the bulbs laying on top of the ground with peck marks on them. I thought, “OK birds, you looked at what was under the ground now I can plant them again and you’ll leave them alone.” Not so.

I replanted these bulbs twice more before I gave up and just poured bark over them. (And that’s when the crows got the title of “Damn Crows.”) A friend told me that the crows probably thought it was a fun game we were playing and now that I know how smart those birds are, I don’t doubt it. Now I get a stray daffy or a sweet little purple crocusees but nothing like the show I wanted and expected.

A friend suggested I plant corn. The Damn Crows might like that better than my bulbs. However, I have a better plan for this year. When I plant the bulbs I will plant a piece of garlic with them. I’ve heard crows don’t seem to like that so maybe I’ll win this time. Maybe.

Stand by for a report next spring.