So, an update on the status of my lately-planted seeds...

The mesembryanthemum were the first to appear, and I think they are bent on world-domination. I checked at breakfast one morning--nothing doing. By the end of the day, there were a multitude of sprouts and they had somehow reached the impressive height of about a centimetre. They are now about double that height, and I've lowered the light to try to keep them from reaching too much--part of their diabolical plan, I'm sure.

Next were the foxglove--many, many teeny-tiny leaves of the most incredible green. The echinacea and pansies are covered in black plastic because they like to germinate in the dark (more modest than the others, perhaps?); I peeked under today and spied a few yellowish, alien-looking shoots. Also, although I'm sure nothing was up in my tray of painted daisies this morning, by the end of the afternoon there was at least one surprisingly-big leaf.

I have now become absurdly anxious about all the infant foliage. I have been checking lighting, soil moisture, and temperature constantly. How am I going to last through eight weeks of this? The next thing you know, I'll be rocking them and singing lullabies...