Spring is here, but how cool it still is. The other day I met a friend at the grocery store, and she said, “Look what I’m wearing—a turtle neck, a sweater, a big shirt, and a jacket.” I nodded. I was similarly dressed, and when I got home, I shed the jacket but kept the triple layers. It is as cool inside as it is outside, and my husband and I are too stubborn to use the heat.  We are both longing for warm days where we can sit outside and be comfortable wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

Despite the cool weather, the plants and trees and lawns are thriving. The green of the new growth is so bright that it lights up the gloomiest days, which we have had in abundance this past month. The woods in back are positively aglow with green, and I love looking into them as I work in the kitchen. The dwarf irises, with their deep purple flowers, are ready to bloom. They are one of the first flowers in my gardens, and they are eagerly anticipated.

The birds also seem to be thriving, and our feeders are busy. For Christmas, Clif bought me a lovely red-glass hummingbird feeder, and last week I boiled some sugar and water, filled the feeder, and put it on a hook in the backyard. It didn’t take long for the hummingbirds to find it, and I was thrilled to see the flash of red and green and hear the whirring of wings as I worked in the yard.

However, a few days ago when I was working in the kitchen, I was even more thrilled when I saw a burst of bright blue at one of the other feeders. “Clif, Clif, come here. I think there’s an indigo bunting in our backyard.” Clif hurried to the window and then to the bird book. Yes, that blue beauty was indeed an indigo bunting, and we stood and watched as the bunting picked at the sunflower seeds. I’ve only seen an indigo bunting one other time, while I was driving, and a streak of blue crossed the road in front of me.

This weekend, we are planning on having a barbecue for Memorial Day. Who knows what the weather will do? Naturally, we have two plans—grilled teriyaki chicken if the weather allows and broiled if it doesn’t.

In the meantime, as we still eat most of our meals inside, here is the recipe I promised for the chickpea cutlets, which are so tasty and easy to make that they are fast becoming a staple in our house. We heat up a bit of jarred spaghetti sauce to go on top of them, but if time allows, homemade, of course, is always best. Basically, these cutlets are a variation on a recipe for chickpea patties I posted a while ago. But I’ll repost the pattie recipe, with added instructions for making the cutlets.

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