Day: 38-degrees | Night: 32-degrees | Winter Storm Warning
It seems it is now officially a Winter Storm Warning for late this evening and tomorrow here in South Saint Louis. The plants are already telling us it is Winter but today is the official beginning. For the past six months the days have been growing shorter and the nights growing longer and longer. Today that trend reverses itself and the days will begin to slowly lengthen into Spring. The light is coming in more ways than one! It's been a busy around here. Visits with friends, family and neighbors. Tonight, is our small Christmas gathering with the wee ones and their mom and dad. We celebrate Christmas day together, but we always have a small, pre-Christmas with just us. Christmas day can become hectic with the gathering crowds. It's nice to simply exchange gifts and eat pizza without the chaos. We cherish these moments because everyone is getting older, and we know how that changes everything. The oldest is driving now and isn't around as much anymore. That's how it's supposed to be. That's why we cherish the now because the next isn't guaranteed. That's my hope and prayer this season: cherish the now. It's cloudy in Carondelet this morning. A chill is in the air but nothing like what is coming. Winds are light and variable. Change is coming. Cherish the now! That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.
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Day: 43-degrees | Night: 26-degrees | Winter Storm Watch
We put the pumpkins from Halloween out for the squirrels. This is the before picture. Not showing the after picture as it looks a little disgusting right now. Let's just say the squirrels seemed to love it. Maybe even a few other little critters as well. It's been a time of remembering for this old gardener. We spent time placing flowers on the graves of those who've gone before us. It's part of my DNA to do this. A southern boy would not let Christmas go by without flowers on the tombstones. It's a good tradition to remember. It can be a little sad but mostly it's a time to remember and think about the good. If you let it, the bad stuff fades into the background (it doesn't really go away). The good stuff comes to the forefront and that's important. It's a good thing to remember. It's a better thing to let some of the bad stuff fade into the background if you can. Hopefully, you can take a bit of time to remember the good times as well this holiday season. If you can't think of anything, it's time to create something of your own. It seems there is a Winter Storm Warning out for Thursday. There has been some talk over the past few days about a potential winter storm and looks like we'll be getting something. We will definitely be getting some major cold weather and fast. So be careful! The skies over Carondelet are partly cloudy right now with winds out of the North at 5 to 10 MPH. Change is coming. Be ready for it! Take care of yourselves. Be good and be kind to yourself and those around you this holiday season. That's all the news from the Carondelet Garden. Day: 37-degrees | Night: 26-degrees
It's dark and chilly in the Carondelet Garden this third Monday in December. The sun was shining yesterday, and we caught the holiday decorations on the front porch at a good time. Happy Fourth Week of Advent. The waiting shall soon be over. The countdown to Christmas has begun. The stockings are hung, and the tree is trimmed. Tis and Twas are once again common language in the land. You can't escape calories if you tried! Sugar and spice and oh, so many things nice. My waistband is groaning! This past weekend we did our little walk around the neighborhood dropping off some Secret Santa goodies to neighbors. Our lives are so enriched by the kindness of neighbors and friends here in Carondelet. We hear so many terrible stories about living in the big, bad City of Saint Louis. Of course, there are serious issues to be solved, but the kindness and goodness of most of the people here is absolutely incredible. Mr. Rogers used to say, "look for the helpers." It's also important to remember to look for the goodness and kindness. It's there and found in some unlikely places. The skies are fair right now, but the clouds will be moving in this morning. Winds are out of the ESE at 5 to 10 MPH. It's a quiet morning for this old gardener. I'm enjoying my tea and listening to some good music. The newspapers are calling my name. It's Monday so the crossword puzzle won't be too hard today. I hope you have a quiet day. Look for the goodness and kindness as you journey about this week. I think you'll find exactly what you are looking for! That's all the news from the Carondelet Garden. Day: 35-degrees | Night: 24-degrees
It's a sunny morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis. I marvel at this Money Plant and how resilient it is. It still looks like it did this Fall. The other Money Plants have all died off, but this plant keeps hanging on. Resilience is a trait we all rely on. We get knocked down and get back up ready to try again. It's hard to keep getting up after a setback. It is also necessary. The other thing I've learned is when to say enough is enough. Sometimes you have to walk away from certain situations and certain people. Sometimes things are simply too hurtful or toxic and you need to say enough. In many ways that is also resilience. Being able to walk away. Then being able to move on. You get back up and you move on. Move on. I hope you are resilient this Fourth Sunday of Advent. The skies are sunny, and the winds are out of the WNW at 5 to 10 MPH. It's a chilly day in South Saint Louis but a lovely day. Be good to yourself this Fourth Sunday of Advent. The waiting will soon be over. I wish you peace and goodness this day and always. You deserve it! That's all the news from the Carondelet Garden. Day: 31-degrees | Night: 20-degrees
The Hostas may be done yet St. Fiacre still keeps watch over the Garden in the cold of this Saturday in December. It's a chilly start to the day here in Carondelet. The sun is shining, and the coffee is brewing so it's time to get moving. The skies are going to be cloudy later today but we are enjoying the sunshine right now. The winds are out of the West at 10 to 20 MPH. It's a good for a good day. Here's to kindness. Here's to spreading a bit of good around. That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden. Day: 39-degrees | Night: 29-degrees
The Rosemary is done for the season yet still looks beautiful. We keep it around for the critters to have a bit of shelter during these cold months. A lot of the plants we let die back and do not clean up until Spring. The dead plants make a good home for small insects and great material for birds and other creatures. Not to mention, I love to burn the old Rosemary in a good fire this Spring. It smells amazing! Today is filled with nostalgia for this old gardener. For many years, too many to count, every Saturday evening around 5:30 p.m. you would find us sitting around a radio listening to "A Prairie Home Companion" coming to us "live" from the St. Paul Theatre in Minnesota. I always looked forward to hearing about the week in Lake Wobegon. A mythical place where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average. We headed down to the Fox Theatre last night for a revival tour of "A Prairie Home Companion Christmas." Such a fun evening of song, comedy, stories and sing-alongs! It was a trip down memory lane and a good one. Strangers walked into the theater but the smiles on the faces of people leaving wishing each other a "Merry Christmas" showed this old man that, for just a moment, things changed. We were a bit of a community brought together by song and story. A bit of Holiday cheer on a cold Winter's night. Speaking of cold, it seems the cold weather is coming to us this next week. Today the temperatures are nearly steady with winds out of the West at 10 to 20 MPH. It's Winter so there is no surprise it's going to be cold. Be sure to bundle up a bit as you head outside. Next week is going to be brutal! I hope you get out and feel a bit of community. See some friends, visit some family, do whatever you need to do to feel connected. It's important to feel that connection. Write a letter or make a real phone call. Reach out a bit. Be good and be kind to yourself. That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden. Day: 39-degrees | Night: 30-degrees
It's a bit cloudy and much cooler here in Carondelet on this third Thursday in December. The Winter Garden is a bit lackluster to say the very least, but we still have a few plants hanging in there. Now we are in the beginning stages of planning for a new year of planting. We learned quite a bit last year and are going to be a little more prudent in our production this year. We'll see how it goes! It's cloudy and overcast with nearly steady temperatures throughout this Thursday. Winds are out of the WSW at 10 to 20 MPH. It's a good day to take a step back and take care of yourself. Sometimes we need to be gentle with ourselves. Today is that kind of day. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be good to yourself. You deserve it and you'll be grateful you did in the end. That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden. Day: 56-degrees | Night: 33-degrees
It's wet and quite mild for mid-December in South Saint Louis. A bit disconcerting as I stepped out into the garden this morning. It's amazing to me how many plants are hanging in there even after some of the cold weather we've had over the past few weeks. It's mid-December and Christmas is sneaking up on us. Before you can blink it will 2023. Time is flying by. We rush around and check off things on our to-do list. We seldom stop and take a breath to appreciate the good around us. I read somewhere that the biggest stumbling block to happiness is "busy-ness." We have a cult of being busy in our world today. We actually look up to people who are busy and can accomplish so much. One of the upsides to retirement is I get to experience the slowing down of life. Admittedly, there are times when I wish I could keep up with the kids a little better and a bit longer. Yet, slowing down has so many benefits. I get to experience things I never even noticed before. I actually watch sunrises instead of just driving to work. Music can, once again, move me to tears. I hope you get the chance to slow down a bit during this hectic holiday season. You deserve a break. You deserve some time to relax and savor the moments. We still have a few showers hanging around Carondelet this morning. The rain will continue through the afternoon hours. Winds are out of the SSW at 5 to 10 MPH. It's a good day for a second cup of coffee. A good day to meditate and contemplate. A good day to slow down a bit. It's a bit safer in the slow lane sometimes. Be good to yourself today. You deserve goodness. You deserve kindness. That's all the news from the Carondelet Garden. Day: 51-degrees | Night: 50-degrees
Happy Tuesday from the Carondelet Garden. It's a chilly start to the day here in South Saint Louis as we stepped outside to survey the land as they say. It's a changeable day, as my dad would say. You wake up to one kind of weather only to see it morph as the day progresses. We shall see what happens! This season of Advent is an odd season. We experience so many emotions. Joy and sorrow. A bit like riding a roller coaster without a safety bar at times. We have a tradition that goes back a long time now of placing flowers on gravestones of our parents and grandparents. It's a lovely tradition that stems from my Southern roots. It's a good time to remember and reflect. It does bring up some sadness and sorrow. But it also brings up funny stories and those idiosyncratic moments that only come from family. We struggle in sorrow as we wait in joyful hope. I hope you have a chance to share some family stories this holiday season. As the song says, "we'll tell scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago." As I said earlier, changeable weather today in Carondelet. Cloudy skies this morning with occasional rain. Winds are out of the ESE at 10 to 20 MPH. The rains will continue overnight and into tomorrow. Tis a good day to hunker in and maybe watch an old movie. I haven't done that in a long time. Maybe today is the day. But first, another cup of coffee and the New York Times crossword puzzle is calling my name. Be good to yourself and others as you travel about this Tuesday in December. That's all the news from the Carondelet Garden. Day: 44-degrees | Night: 33-degrees
Another foggy day in Carondelet town. I think the light reflecting off the old ferns is beautiful on a cloudy Monday morning in South Saint Louis. There was a bit of a nip in the air as I headed out the door for my morning walk-about through the neighborhood. Still a lovely morning for a walk. A bit of joyous news: I will soon be a great-uncle again. As we sit in the season of waiting it was a joyful time to sit down with our beautiful niece and nephew as they await their firstborn to come next year. Joy and anticipation filled the house as we visited. My heart warmed at the thought of these two amazing people bringing this world a wonderful new inhabitant. The very embodiment of hope, of faith, and love. The third week of Advent is about rejoicing. I am rejoicing today at the thought of a new baby in our lives. Joy to the World indeed! Clouds and fog are hanging over the Garden once again this morning. Winds are out of the ESE at 5 to 10 MPH. My tea is ready, Music is playing on the Smart Speaker. Life is pretty good. I'm working on counting my blessings this week. I have so many. I hope you can take a moment to consider the good in your life. I know it can be a struggle for some this time of year. Be kind to yourself. Be good to yourself. Maybe have a lovely cup of tea or coffee. Sit down. Take a moment to just be. That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden. |
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