All week the temperatures in Fargo have been above freezing.  The snow banks are melting fast and the danger of the Red River flooding at catastrophic levels is very high.  Along with the "high" temperatures we've had rain, fog and clouds.  Constantly.  It is seriously wet and gray out there.

So what do I do?  I don't have to worry about my house flooding and we're bouncing back and forth between Fargo and my husband's doctors in Minneapolis, which leaves little time for work.  And a lot of time to daydream about gardens.  By the time I can dig in my yard my plans should seriously outstrip my budget.  Again.

Ah well, perhaps I need to re-think  my need for a hedge of columnar apple trees.

In the meantime, since organizing is the point, here are my favorite garden organizing ideas:

• To corral all the stakes, and other tall pointy things you stick in the ground, a milk can.  I saw this last year in a magazine and since I actually had a milk can gave it a try.  It's a good idea.
• For small hand tools of the non-rusting  variety, a nice metal bucket.
• For small hand tools that have blades and do rust, a terra cotta pot filled with sand saturated with motor oil.  This is a Martha Stewart idea, the grit of the sand cleans the metal and the oil keeps them lubricated.    Friends gave me mine years ago as a birthday gift and it has seen constant use.
• My Felco pruner is always at my side thanks to a holster.  It isn't necessary to point out that I am not a fashionista, I know that, and I'm ok with it.  But not even I was willing to attach something to my belt on my hip, until I did.  Having my pruner always available has made me a much better gardener, because I can prune and trim at will.  And I do. 

Regarding long handled tools, they are hanging on pegboard and I don't like it.  Perhaps something better will occur to me as I'm daydreaming.

A Gratitude Wednesday post didn't happen this week for reasons I can't quite fathom.  Here's a makeup list of things I'm grateful for today:

• The citizens of Fargo and their determination to keep our city and every home in it dry.
• The slow melt.  Yeah, I know, contradictory.
• My husband's unfailing urge to fix things.
• The stuck sump pump was put to rights quickly, without a call to a plumber.
• Our magnificent friends
• Family
• The opportunity to get to know a fascinating woman better.
• Atomic Coffee's skim mocha.
• Windshield wipers.  Seriously, how screwed would we be without them?

Life with garden catalogs is bliss.

Tricky Duck Tip:  Keep a jug of windshield wiper fluid in your trunk.  You don't want to run out on the highway on a rainy day.