In this liturgical “ordinary time” of year, we Catholics have a case of the “in-betweens.” We’ve celebrated the birth of Jesus at Christmas and know Lent will soon be here, followed by his resurrection and the glorious celebrations of Easter. During this “in-between time” what is a gardener to do? This ordinary time with its bitter temperatures, and frozen solid ground, all we’re asking for is a little patch of green grass!

Brrrrrr! Winter is here. The beautiful snow, the crisp cold air, the green of the pines and God’s vivid blue sky. We are blessed to have all four seasons in our diocese and yet all agree that at times our seasons can seem to be a bit mixed up with their topsy-turvy-temps!  The season of winter has a purpose in our gardens. It brings a time for rest, rejuvenation and the cold can bring death to diseases and some of those pesky garden pests.

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson.

If you haven’t experienced the amaryllis, you should, and if you have, you know that its beauty can only be described as spectacular!

The winter tree is a snowflake dressed with grace and bones, a simple miracle to behold on winter’s lonely road.” — Angie Weiland-Crosby.

It’s October and our nights are much cooler and our days are getting shorter. Before long we will have our first freeze and another growing season will be a distant memory. This time of year, even spiders are looking for a warmer place to live for the winter. While the interior of our home is off-limits to these creepy arachnids there is one “spider” that is beneficial to invite inside.