I love where I live. Our valley gets rather soggy in the winter and stays that way through spring, but the soil is rich and great for gardening. We are fortunate to be next to a rhubarb farm, which is still holding out against the developers. Spring is usually cloudy, but occasionally we luck out with a warm and sunny day. Once summer finally arrives in July, we can usually count on sunny skies.
Vegetables can be a treat for the eyes, as well as the palate.
This is my favorite pole bean, Trionfo, with striking leaves, lavender-pink flowers, and purple beans. If you've never grown fresh basil, you owe it to yourself. Basil is incredibly easy to grow from seed, and its fresh flavor is incredible. Fresh basil is so much better than its dried counterpart, probably moreso than any other herb. Once lettuce starts to run to seed, it is worthless for eating.