Happy Leap Day everyone!  It's a chilly start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden on this last day of February.  But the sun is shining, and we should reach the 50s by this afternoon.  Overall, not a bad day at all.

Good old Roman General Julius Caesar gave us this wonderful Leap Day way back in 45 BCE.  Of course, back then leap day was February 24th, and February was the last month of the year.  However, adding a leap day every four years was too often and eventually, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian Calendar. This calendar, which we still use today, has a more precise formula for calculation of leap years, also known as bissextile years.

I love old traditions and leap day is still associated with age-old customs, folklore, and superstition. One of the most well-known traditions is that women propose to their boyfriends, instead of the other way around.  I don't think that's such a bad way of doing things anyway.  

It's a good day for a good day on this Leap Day 2024.  Enjoy this extra day in February and get out and soak up a bit of that sunshine.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is sunny outside in the Carondelet Garden on a cold February morning.  What a difference a day makes.  Yesterday at this very time it was 62-degrees, this morning it is 27-degrees.  Welcome to South Saint Louis in Winter.  

The horrible below zero weather in January did a number on my garden to be sure but these beautiful Lenten Roses survived.  Hellebores are the grandest plants of February, and you cannot fail to be charmed by them modestly holding their astonishing faces up to the sun.

To be honest the past few days have taken a bit of a toll on this old gardener's hips and knees.  Today will be an inside day with a bit less kneeling and bending.  The cold weather is no friend to my arthritis.  That's just the way it is.  To be honest, I'm good with that.  I'm enjoying this chapter of my life.

It is a good day for a bit of reading and relaxing.  A few chores will be accomplished but it is hump day and I'm going to hump it over to my chair with a cup of coffee, the New York Times, and classical music playing on the old smart speaker.  Not a bad way to start the day.

Be good and be kind to yourself on this last Wednesday of February.  It's Leap Year so we get one more February day before this shortest month of the year finally ends.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

An absolutely beautiful morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  The highs should reach the lower 80s this afternoon with a drastic cool front coming through late this evening into tomorrow.  For now, we will enjoy the sunshine and the balmy temperatures!

After that horrible freeze we had back in January I was afraid my garlic was a goner.  My faith was week but my garlic was strong.  Everything is looking really nice right now.  Very excited for the harvest this summer.  Is there anything better than fresh garlic?

I began the transformation of the Boulevard Garden yesterday and it has been slow work.  The Zoysia has put up a bit of a fight as I try to get things ready for our new Wildflower Pollinator Garden in the Boulevard.  It is a bit of a test for the old gardener this year.  I have but two relatively small strips between the sidewalk and street.  I'm taking one out this year (the other has over 100 crocus bulbs) and hoping in faith for a great result.  

It's a beautiful day today.  A good day for a good day to be sure.  I will get in a bit of gardening early, but this afternoon is Tax Day stuff.  Not fun, but necessary.  I hope you can enjoy some of the beautiful sunshine this Tuesday in Lent.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A bit chilly out in the Carondelet Garden this Monday morning.  The temperatures should climb rather dramatically later this morning with highs in the upper 70s. A few afternoon clouds may swing through.  We have the opportunity to set a new record high for this date.  It is has been a weirdly warm winter..

As we watch February wind down, we see the small but powerful things that come during this time of year.  February releases the valves for Spring.  The days are beginning to reach out, stretch and limber up for the marathon to come.  We hear the chattering of birds just before dawn now which itself comes earlier and earlier.

A busy week ahead as we continue to prepare for the coming growing season.  I've come to discover at this point in my simple, ordinary life that it is all about finding the things that are important to me and then creating the simplest pathway to have that in my life.  That's it.  Simple? Yes. Easy? No!

The day marches on.  There is work to do.  Prayers to be offered.  Life to live.  Enjoy the sunshine on this Monday in Lent.  It's Saint Louis so you know things will be changing soon.  Be good to yourself and kind as you travel about.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A partly cloudy beginning of the day here in the Carondelet Garden.  A few sprinkles were around very early this morning.  The clouds seem to be breaking up a bit and the sun is beginning to peak its head out.  The high today should reach the mid 60s.  Not a bad day for South Saint Louis in February.

A busy day yesterday for the old gardener.  The raised beds are being moved into their permanent position and I'm pretty happy with the result.  One more to go and then we can fill with good soil and begin the real push of planting vegetables come Spring.  It's exciting and a pleasure to get out and dig in the dirt once again in a real way.  

The stuff we grow ourselves appeals to the very best in us.  The person inside who want to give a chance.  Get up off the couch and give it a go.  When I started really getting into gardening it was all about maybe a raised bed or two.  Plant some tomatoes.  I like tomatoes.  See what happens.  What's the downside?  A BLT?

There has been no downside for this old gardener.  It's a good day for getting a few more chores finished.  Another raised bed will be placed into position.  More work to do but so much future benefit to come.  

It's a good day for a good day.  Time to head outside and muck about.  I hope you get the chance to smell a newly emerged daffodil or crocus as you get out and about on this Thursday in Lent.  It gives you a bit of hope!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a sunshiny day here in the Carondelet Garden on this Wednesday in Lent.  The sun should stick around all morning with a few clouds moving in by this afternoon.  The highs will be near 70 degrees!  The perfect day to work in the Garden.

Work is exactly what I'm getting ready to do.  There are still a lot of chores to finish and I'm heading to get started.  I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy a bit of this amazing late-Winter weather.

It's a good day for a good day.  Be good to yourself this fine February day.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Another sunny day here in the Carondelet Garden.  The high should reach the lower 60s this afternoon.  What a lovely Tuesday in South Saint Louis!

Getting ready for a busy day here in the Garden.  Lots of prep work and a bit of study this morning.  It's an exciting time as February begins to draw to a close.  One month closer to Spring!

I have been on a journey these past few years to simplify the life I lead.  My goal for the past few years is to live this simple, ordinary life extraordinarily well.  Some days are easier than others, but the goal remains the same.  A bit slower, fewer things to worry about, more time to putter and ponder, and a bit more faith, and hope, and as much love as possible!

It's a good day for a good day! Hopefully, you can get outside and soak up some of this sunshine.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

The sun is shining, and skies are clear.  There is a slight chill in the air, but the temperatures should easily hit the 50s by this afternoon.  That beautiful snow from Friday will finally be all gone soon.  It was lovely while it lasted.

It's going to be a busy week here in the Carondelet Garden as I prepare to place my new raised bed into their permanent place in the garden.  What a gift it is to be a gardener with the ability to create anew.  The work of the Creator was to begin creation but left it for us to complete.  Isn't that an amazing gift?

In this life I have come to the conclusion that what I pay attention to in this life determines my commitment and my ultimate happiness.  Time is the main indicator.  One of the most important questions in this life is where do you spend your time and what are you doing there?  Where do you spend your time?  

You'll be sure to find me spending time in the garden this week.  Toiling, praying, resting and creating in the garden as we prepare for the coming Spring.  It's a good day for a good day.  Have a bit of faith, share a little hope and spread a little love this first full week of Lent.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a partly cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The temperatures are quite lovely, and the sun is shining but the clouds seem to be moving in.  After the incredible few days of balmy February temps it seems Winter will stick her head up yet again with lower temperatures and snow in the forecast for tomorrow.  Of course, this is Saint Louis so who knows?

I finally have the second of my two new raised beds built.  We will begin work on figuring out their exact location soon.  Very excited for the taller beds and more options.  My seedlings are coming along very well down in the grow station in the basement.  Things are moving here in the garden.  

From the very beginning our Creator has invited us to be his helper in the garden.  We are the caretakers, charged by the Creator, with this creative act.  What a wonderful creation it is.  

It's a good day for a good day.  Enjoy the sunshine and the lovely temperatures today.  Be good to yourself and others as you travel about.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

"Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return."  
It is a bit chilly on the sunny morning in the Carondelet Garden.  The sun will shine all day and we should see the mid 60s by this afternoon.  An absolutely perfect weather day.  Happy Valentine's Day as well!

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent for many Christians. For more than fifteen hundred years, Christians have used these words to mark the day as they dip their fingers into ash, and smudge bowed foreheads with the sign of the cross. The words allude to when God admonished Adam and Eve as they left paradise in the Book of Genesis.

My prayer for us today comes from a poem by Jan Richardson called “Ash Wednesday: Blessing the Dust.”
So let us be marked
not for sorrow.
And let us be marked
not for shame.
Let us be marked
not for false humility
or for thinking
we are less
than we are
but for claiming
what God can do
within the dust,
within the dirt,
within the stuff
of which the world
is made,
and the stars that blaze
in our bones,
and the galaxies that spiral
inside the smudge
we bear.
Amen.

It's sunny and cold outside in the Carondelet Garden on this Shrove Tuesday morning.  We should have abundant sunshine all day with highs in the upper 50's.  Not a bad way to end Shrovetide.

It's Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, or Mardis Gras.  It's the final day of Carnivale and the day of preparing ourselves for the forty days of Lent which begins tomorrow on Ash Wednesday.  It's a time of preparation for the coming of Easter and, if you are a gardener, the coming of Spring as well.  We did a little preparation by visiting the Orchid Show @mobotgarden yesterday.  It was absolutely stunning!  If you haven't been I certainly encourage a visit.  

Over the years gardens were designed as sacred spaces.  I truly believe they are exactly that.  A place where you can experience the peace and harmony of spending a few minutes in the creation of the Creator of all things.  Gardens are magical.  Stepping into the grand world of orchids truly inspires and offers up possibilities for other worlds and other thoughts all while making us look inward.  Not a bad way to end Shrovetide.

It's a beautiful morning.  Maybe enjoy a pancake or a waffle and celebrate Shrove Tuesday.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  There's a bit of a chill in the air but you can see signs of Spring bursting forth out of the cold ground.  Take a look at these little succulents that we uncovered while doing a bit of cleanup last week.  It won't be long now!

I know some people feel like the month with the fewest days seems like the longest month of the year.  It can feel that way, but February is the month when gardening really kicks into high gear.  The weather can still be pretty rough, and the days are still short.  In February there is still something happening.  There's a bit of thrill in the air.  Tulips are sticking their little heads up.  The crocus are starting to poke out.  It's an exciting time here in the garden.

It is a good time to be present.  After all, it is all we really have.  We have the now.  This is where the Creator will always speak to us.  The now holds everything and rejects nothing.  This is where we encounter the Creator here in creation itself.

It's a good day to be kind and gentle with ourselves and others.  This week we will enter into the season of Lent.  A time of prayer and fasting.  One of my prayers is for the faith, hope and love to acknowledge God in all things.  Amen and amen!

We are having yet another beautiful, sunny day here in the Carondelet Garden in south Saint Louis.  The temperatures were almost balmy when I stepped out this morning to check on things.  We should see mid to upper 60s later this afternoon.  My weather friends tell me tomorrow may hit 70-degrees.  If that doesn't give an old gardener Spring Fever nothing will.

The honest truth is that Spring Fever is in full bloom here in the garden.  I finished this lovely extra tall, raised bed yesterday and have another to be built.  I can almost taste the carrots and potatoes right now!  The thing about stretching your limits is that every time you do it, you have a new limit to stretch.  Every time you solve a problem, it builds you up just a little bit more.

It is the doing of things that ties the garden all together.  The work and sweat and hope and faith are what makes it possible.  I am always amazed and awed by the power that comes from the very first tomato of the season.  Is there anything more beautiful and sweeter?

It's a good day for a good day.  Time is precious and the weather is cooperating.  Life is pretty amazing right now so I'm heading out to enjoy it.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a bright, sun-filled morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  We should see a mix of clouds and sunshine this morning followed by cloudy skies this afternoon.  A perfect day to do a little gardening!

The Leafmould is doing its thing.  It's been about three months and it's dropped over 12-inches in that time.  I'm really excited to use it this fall for some soil conditioning and mulch for over-wintering hardy plants.  I love Leafmould and the best part is it is FREE!

I'm busy building new raised beds and starting seeds and dreaming of Spring right now.  It's really easy for me to see myself in the role of conductor for this symphony of nearing Springtime.  I like the idea of controlling every note and beat of my garden.  The reality is that even the very best gardener is not so much a conductor as much as a cross between a caretaker making sure the lightbulbs are replaced and a member of the audience with possibly the best seat in the house.

I truly believe any success I have in growing anything well is a combination of confidence, intuition and sheer luck!  There is a bit of faith, sweat, hope and love thrown in as well.  A labor, but a labor of love.

It looks to be a beautiful day.  It's a good day to be kinder and gentler with ourselves and others.  We all need more kindness and gentleness as we make our way.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

The sun is shining on this chilly Tuesday morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  It's a bit chilly outside right now but this afternoon the temperatures will hit the mid 50s again.  Needless to say, I've got a bit of spring fever!

The picture is a bit of beauty from the grow station.  The little succulent decided to bloom and share it's grace with us this morning.  What a joy to wake up to such beauty.  

We have work to do this late Winter.  We are putting in three new raised beds and a new Missouri Native Wildflower patch in the boulevard.  The boulevard is such a weird little piece of ground between the sidewalk and the street.  It is the only grassy area I have left in the front garden.  I have two sections.  I will try the smaller one first to see how things go.  

Exciting changes.  It's good to continue to challenge and learn.  @thehillsidelife shared a quote from Henry Ford a few days ago that rang so true to this old gardener, "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.  Anyone who keeps learning stays young."  There is such truth in that statement.  

​It's a good day for good day.  Time to learn something new and tackle some new projects.  How about you, anything new in your garden this year?  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a bit chilly out in the Carondelet Garden on this Ordinary Monday morning.  The good news is the sun is shining and the high will reach the mid-50s by this afternoon.  You can't beat that for early February in South Saint Louis.

It was a busy few days in the old garden.  The new cold frame is ready to begin filling with plants for Spring.  I'm going to be putting out beans this week.  I know it's a bit early but I'm willing to give it a go.  Lettuce and Spinach are going into the grow area this week as well.  Spring is coming and I'm ready!

I am ready for a bit of faith and hope.  It is up to me to celebrate creation wherever I find it.  The beauty is there to behold, drawing me in.  Drawing me in to that which is holy.  This longing for creation is a part of all of us.  It is how we are put together.  I wouldn't want it any other way.

It's a good day for a good day.  A bit of faith, some hope and all the love we can muster will get us through.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A bit cloudy this morning out in the Carondelet Garden this morning.  We should be seeing a mix of clouds and sunshine, but the clouds are moving back in this afternoon with a slight chance of a rain shower.  The highs should be in the mid-60s so Spring is in the air!

Our sweet niece and her hubby were down with the creeping crud yesterday, so Dr. B went into cooking mode.  Homemade chicken noodle soup and her award-winning Apple Crumb Pie were dispensed STAT!  They were feeling better as of last report and hopefully on the road to full recovery!

I have a new Cold Frame in the back garden as of today.  I am excited to get an early start on a variety of plants and vegetables this Spring.  @flowersandweeds you are so right, as I am "dreaming of Spring!"  

The weather is pretty amazing today.   Even with a few showers you can't be too upset with 60-degree weather on Groundhog Day.  Be good to yourself and try to get outside a bit.  Walk about and smell the earth coming back to life.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.