You just gave me an idea-I think I'll winter sow my mixed bird seed and see what comes up!

I know what you mean about staring at your beds. I can feel the collective energy and nervousness from gardeners everywhere across the country. It feels like a cruel trick Mother Nature is playing on everyone, teasing us that we can see the productivity on the horizon, but just can't do anything about it. I would feel so much better if there were 3 feet of snow on the ground.

What zone are you in? And how are you starting your potatoes? from cut ones, or mini potatoes? I've always wanted to try it just for the fun of it. I know you are supposed to keep the vine covered with soil and only let the growing tip stay exposed in order to get potatoes. And are those what I see in the stores as potato vines for sale? Uncovered vines that just keep growing?

I'm also finding myself staring at the beds and holding myself back from starting the spring moves I want to make. I'm keeping myself busy by making kokedama, basically prettied up mud pies, I'm using victims of frost heave (can it technically be "frost heave" if there isn't any frost?) to plant them so if they're zapped by a sudden onset of winter I'm not out anything.

I was out picking up trash from the garden the other day and noticed volunteer poppies were up - well up. I usually direct sow my poppies in late February. I would have already sowed them by now except I'm waiting for a calm day so I don't lose them. It was sort of surprising to find them already happily growing, at least now I can tell where to skip!

Here is a link that might be useful: kokedama

I live in zone 7. The potatoes I'm gonna plant were taken from the bag in the 'fridge. They are a russet type. Unusable for eating, so why not play with them? I've done this before with red bliss and they worked.
Sowing the birdseed is a cool idea! The millet and sunflower seeds are sprouting all over the place. If allowed to grow they would feed lots of birds this summer.