Day:  43-degrees  |  Night:  30-degrees
Lots of rain yesterday but the Garden seems to love the attention from heaven.  Lots of buds and flowering happening.  The Woodbine is looking particularly lovely right about now.  It's an exciting time in the Carondelet Garden.  The tomato seedlings are looking exceptional, and Dr. B's Money Plants are looking good after the repotting yesterday.  I have hope!

It looks like we may get a few more rain showers this afternoon.  The winds will be out of the West at 10 to 20 MPH.  Hopefully the rain will be soft on our soil.  Share a little faith, have a little hope and spread some love on your journey today.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  67-degrees  |  Night:  40-degrees
It's really warm this morning in the garden.  Things are quiet right now but we know that won't last for long.  Spring has arrived and that means thunderstorms and uncertain weather here on the southside of Saint Louis.  Hang on because it may be a bumpy ride today!

The winds are beginning to pick up and the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms and possibly some severe weather.  Winds out of the South at 20 to 30 MPH.  1-2 inches of rain is possible with this storm.  Be careful as you travel about today.  This sounds like a doozy!  Be kind to yourself.  Stay safe.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  61-degrees  |  Night:  58-degrees
The Magnolia Trees are magnificent right now.  The buds are opening and fill the sky with pink and white petals that make the heart glad.  Enjoy them while we can as the forecast is calling for thunderstorms tomorrow and that may be the end of the blooms.  

There is a possibility of rain this morning with lots of clouds.  The winds are out of the SE at 10-20 MPH.  It's a bit of a tossup Tuesday weatherwise here in the Garden.  Not quite sure what is going to happen.  As always, we carry on!  Enjoy the warmer temperatures.  Be kind to yourself and those who may come your way today.  Happy Tuesday Gardening Friends!

Day:  50-degrees  |  Night:  38-degrees
I have to admit that I am loving the retired life.  For the first time I can plan my days and pursue my passions on my own schedule.  This garden is truly a passion.  Things are always happening.  Some you plan for.  Others just come up out of the ground seemingly from nowhere.  That is the joy about it.  It's hard to have a bad morning when you know you are going to look around and another bloom is popping out or a seedling is just breaking through the earth.  As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing."

Today is going to be a cloudy one.  Winds out of the East at 5 to 10 MPH.  The Hyacinths are popping, and the Daffodils are smiling.  It's a beautiful day in the Garden. Be kind to yourself as you look around at the beauty that surrounds you.  It's always there you just have to really look sometimes.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  50-degrees  |  Night:  30-degrees
It's a chilly, sunny Sunday here in the Carondelet Garden.  The garden is looking quite lovely under its new blanket of fresh mulch.  It's a day of rest here in the Garden.  Relaxing with the @nyties and a great cup of coffee while listening to WNYC Classical Radio.  Pretty much a perfect morning. 

A chilly start with sun this morning but increasing clouds this afternoon.  Winds are out of the WNW at 10 to 15 MPH.  Not as blustery today thank goodness.  Have a little hope, keep the faith and share some love today as you do what you have to do.  Be kind to yourself.  You deserve all the kindness in the world!  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  51-degrees  |  Night:  29-degrees
It's a sunny, chilly morning here in the Carondelet Garden and the mulch has arrived.  Every year is a guessing game as to when the big truck filled with mulch will show up at our house.  Today is the day.  We'll have pictures later but suffice it to say it will be a busy day here in the Garden.  Another sign that spring has arrived just like the daffodils that have shown their glory recently.

It's going to be windy with a mix of clouds and sun.  The winds are out of the NW at 20 to 30 MPH and gusty.  Be kind to yourself today.  Enjoy the sunshine!  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  59-degrees  |  Night:  36-degrees
The Lettuce seedlings are doing their thing.  Looking forward to some fresh salads and greens in our future.  Today, though, we are doing the opposite of super healthy and heading down to our favorite Lenten Fish Fry over at St. Stephen Protomartyr Church on Wilmington.  It's become a weekly event in Lent for us.  If you are in the neighborhood, check it out!

It's a blustery morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  Chilly and cloudy but we are expecting a bit of sunshine this afternoon.  Those winds out of the WNW are blowing at 15 to 25 MPH and higher gusts are possible.  Be careful out there.  The winds are a bit rough especially if you are driving a big truck.  Be safe and be kind!  Happy Fish Fry Friday Gardening Friends!

Day:  45-degrees  |  Night:  36-degrees
Rain, Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day!  Wow, are we feeling that old childhood rhyme around here.  The rain is playing havoc with my arthritis and I'm moving a bit slower as a result.  I guess the good news is there isn't much that can be done in the garden anyway.  There is always a bright side if you look for it.  This calls for another cup of coffee.

It's a chilly start to this Thursday morning.  Showers continue throughout the majority of the day.  Winds are out of the WSW at 10 to 15 MPH.  It's cold, damp and a bit yucky out there this morning.  We need to pull up our britches and be the person our Doodle Dog thinks we are.  Kindness matters.  So be kind to yourself today.  Have a great Thursday Gardening Friends!

Day:  53-degrees  |  Night:  38-degrees
Not a couple of great days for gardening but the garden is loving this rain from heaven.  Potatoes are in their Tattie Bags and hopefully we will soon see signs of growth.  It's an exciting time with Spring in the air.  Birds were having a party outside the windows this morning.  Singing up a storm.  Possibly, literally!  

It looks like rain, rain and maybe more rain throughout the day.  Mostly cloudy skies all day with winds out of the Southwest at 10 to 20 MPH.  Take things a bit slower if you are driving around today.  The streets are slick.  Be kind to yourself and others as you venture about.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  59-degrees  |  Night:  49-degrees
The Snow Peas are in the ground.  I have finally finished every bed except the Kitchen herb garden.  It's a refreshed bed with new cedar boards and I grew Winter Rye as a cover to replenish the soil.  I've been turning the soil over for the past month and it's looking really good but not quite ready.  The good news is the weather isn't ready for herbs anyway.  Big win for this urban gardener.

It looks like rain pretty much all morning and into the afternoon.  Winds out of the SE at 10-20 MPH but some gusts are also happening as the flag is rippling pretty briskly out there.  Those new seeds will love this watering from the heavens.  It looks like I won't be getting much gardening done today.  Time to kick back and relax a little.  I'm sure there is something that needs to be tended to around here.  There always is.  Be kind to yourself today.  Keep the faith, have some hope and spread a little love on your journey.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  76-degrees  |  Night:  52-degrees
The beans are in!  The beans are in!  It's an exciting time here in the Carondelet Garden as things are really starting to shape up.  Today, the garden will have to wait.  It's time for the Doodle Dog's yearly visit to the Vet.  It's such a strange time as we have not met her Veterinarian because of COVID.  I'm pretty sure we will meet her today.  We've spoken on the phone and the techs would come to the car and take our girl away.  It was always sad and surreal.  Thank goodness she's a happy, sweet girl who loves almost everyone.  Here's hoping for a good visit.

A few clouds in the sky over the garden this morning and they say it will become mostly cloudy during the afternoon.  Winds out of the South at 10-20 MPH.  As you head out the door to face a new week remember to be kind to yourself and those around you.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  73-degrees  |  Night:  48-degrees
It's a chilly upper-30s in the Carondelet Garden this morning but our Lilac is pregnant with possibilities!  Looking forward to the amazing fragrance that will soon fill the air as this amazing little bush comes into full bloom.  Spring will certainly be in the air.

We can expect lots of sunshine today with winds out of the SSW at 5 to 10 MPH.  A wonderful way to end the weekend.  Still waiting for our little blue bag to arrive so that we can begin our Sunday ritual.  But the coffee is brewing, and the little Doodle Dog is making noise about wanting to hit the trails soon.  Be kind to yourself today.  Relax a little if you can.  Should be a great afternoon for a nap.  Have a great day Gardening Friends.

Day:  58-degrees  | Night: 35-degrees
The poor Winter Pansies took a beating over that last cold snap but they keep giving a bit of color to the garden.  Can't wait to plant more pansies in the coming days.  I've enjoyed seeing the pots of pansies on porches in the neighborhood.  Hurray for Spring!  

We are venturing out today to do a bit of whisky shopping.  I've been studying for the Certified Scotch Professional certification and need a few more tastings to round out my studies.  I know, it's a difficult job but someone has to do it!  It's amazing what you are able to do once you have a bit of time.  I've enjoyed learning new things and discovering new passions over the past year or so.  This garden is a prime example.  

The rain seems to have moved out of the Carondelet area, yet the clouds remain.  They should clear up a bit into the afternoon hours.  The winds are out of the WNW at 10 to 20 MPH.  A bit of clearing and the promise of sunshine and warmer temperatures tomorrow are enough.  Enjoy that second cup of coffee this morning.  Be kind to yourself on your journey today.  Happy Saturday Gardening Friends!

Day:  64-degrees  |  Night:  39-degrees
Spring is just around the corner!  You can see it just about everywhere you turn these past few days.  It's an exciting time to be in the garden.  I have just about finished the cleanup and the prep work and now we wait.  It is a bit like Lent in that respect.  Enjoy a good Fish Fry today if that is your tradition.  It is certainly ours.  We have a lot to choose from around Carondelet.  

It is currently a wee soft day here in Carondelet with the light rain and cloudy skies, but the weather people are saying thunderstorms will be developing for the afternoon.  The winds are out of the SSE at 10 to 15 MPH.  Be careful if you are out and about today.  Take care of yourself and be kind to others.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  78-degrees  |  Night:  54-degrees
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity’s most widely known figures. But for all of his prevalence in culture his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are pretty much not true, just the products of hundreds of years of great Irish storytelling!

I couldn't resist sharing our #puzzlethursday pic for this week.  Tis truly a lovely, fine day for a Pint of the Guinness.  Low in calories, high in flavor and sure to cure whatever ails you. 

​The sun is shining with winds out of the South at 5 to 10 MPH.  It's a beautiful day for a Parade in Dogtown.  Enjoy a glass of your favorite Irish beverage today.  Tea or whiskey?  Well, that's your choice.  Be careful, have fun, and be kind to yourself and others.  St. Patrick would expect nothing less!  Happy Saint Patrick's Day Gardening Friends!

Day:  74-degrees  |  Night:  49-degrees
The sun is shining brightly on our Lamb's Ears this morning.  It's absolutely stunning on this mid-March, mid-week day here in Carondelet.  It's been simply beautiful weather for Saint Louis and you can absolutely smell Spring in the air!

We can expect sunny skies with the winds out of the South at 5 to 10 MPH.  It's as perfect a day as you could possibly imagine.  There's hope in the air in the Carondelet Garden.  We hope and pray you all have an amazing day filled with faith and love.  Be kind to yourself and your neighbor.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  68-degrees  /  Night:  43-degrees
You can feel Spring in the air and see it as life returns to the garden.  The Day Lilies are starting to return.  Peas were planted yesterday.  Potatoes will go into their Tatty Bags today.  Another fun and exciting day here in the Carondelet Garden.  So grateful for the beautiful weather!

It's going to partly cloudy with light and variable winds today.  Another great day to fiddle with the soil.  I hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy the sunshine and beautiful weather.  It's Saint Louis so we know the wild weather isn't finished so we enjoy it for now.  Be kind to yourself today.  Keep the faith, have some hope and share your love to everyone around you.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

​Day:  70-degrees  /  Night:  45-degrees
Happy 314 Day everyone!  It is Pi day to much of the world but here in the Carondelet neighborhood of South Saint Louis it is #314 Day!  We love our little bungalow on the southside.  We've been here more than 30 years and couldn't imagine living anywhere else.  So raise a glass to Saint Louis today!  

Lots and lots of sunshine and wonderfully warm temperatures today.  My Hybrid Sweet Onions survived that horrible bout of cold last weekend.  The little makeshift greenhouse seemed to do the trick.  Today the winds will be out of the South at 10 to 20 MPH.  Maybe a few afternoon clouds but nothing to worry about.  It's a great day here in the Carondelet Garden.  Maybe a bit noisy with Spire replace gas lines but I'm not complaining!  Be kind to yourself and those you meet today.  You will both be better for it!  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  64-degrees  /  Night:  38-degrees
It's time to Spring Forward as daylight savings time began early this morning.  It's always a bit of an odd day with time feeling just a bit off.  I am looking forward to more daylight hours in the evenings.  The hens and chicks are in total agreement that Spring is just around the corner!  

It is going to feel a bit like Spring today.  Sunny skies this afternoon with winds out of the WSW at 10 to 15 MPH.  It's a beautiful day to get out and visit St. Louis.  Lots going on with 314 day being celebrated today!  Be kind to yourself today.  Get outside and soak up a bit of that vitamin D.  You deserve a break and a day of rest.  Have a restful Sunday Gardening Friends!

Day:  34-degrees  /  Night:  25-degrees
It is so cold this morning.  Thermometer say 15-degrees, but the weatherperson says it feels like 3=degrees.  We covered the Hybrid Sweet Onions with poly overnight and are hoping for the best.  The Lilac still looks good, and the buds are getting very close!  Spring is just a little over a week away.  This week's weather is supposed to be very nice.  Gardening will definitely be in full sail.  There is still a lot of work to be done, especially in the flower gardens.  

Today is going to be sunny with winds out of the WNW at 10 to 15 MPH.  The Saint Louis University Billikens Men's Basketball team is moving on to the semi-finals after a nail-biter win over St. Bonaventure yesterday so you know where we will be starting at noon!  Be kind to yourself today.  If you can, enjoy a little March Madness.  Have that second cup of coffee.  You deserve it!  Enjoy your Saturday my Gardening Friends!

Day:  35-degrees  /  Night:  14-degrees
It was another beautiful day in the garden yesterday.  I couldn't help taking a quick snap of our "hundred thousand welcomes" flag.  This old Scots-Irish guy loves St. Patrick's Day and the wonderful Celtic traditions that surround it.  

The snow really hasn't amounted to much here in the garden and should turn to just cloudy skies by this afternoon.  The winds are out of the NW at 10 to 15 MPH.  It may still be a bit slick and slippery so be extra careful as you head out into the world this morning.  The Doodle and I are putting our walk off just a bit today.  Be kind to yourself.  Take an extra minute or two for yourself.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  46-degrees  /  Night:  26-degrees
You hear a lot about how terrible Social Media can be.  It's true often enough but I must say I have found the exact opposite in my experiences in Instagram world.  Admittedly, I'm a total newbie to this social media thing.  I'm just an old, retired guy who is starting to get into gardening and wanted to find a way to connect with other like-minded folks.  What I found is a community of amazing people of all ages who are so kind and helpful.  No judgements when I ask dumb questions and helpful when I need advice.  I reached out to @stl_stead yesterday asking about the upcoming weather and planting outdoors and received advice quickly and with such support and kindness.  This is just one example of the beautiful spirit of people.  We don't hear much about the goodness in folks anymore.  Yet, here it is all over Instagram.  Thank you to those folks who I follow and who follow me and give me inspiration and help every day.  You are amazing and kind and loving and I am so excited to be a small part of it!

This morning is beautiful.  Sunny skies and a slight bit of chill in the air.  The skies will turn cloudy this afternoon with winds out of the NNE at 10 to 20 MPH.  Another Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for tomorrow morning.  1 to 3 inches of snow possible.  Some really cold temperatures are coming as well.  Keeping my fingers crossed about my Hybrid Onions!  Thank you again for your help everyone.  Be kind to yourself today.  Have a great Thursday Gardening Friends!

Day:  52-degrees  /  Night:  29-degrees
Seedlings are starting to do their thing.  It's so much fun watching them grow every day.  Today was a fertilizer day.  They seem very happy in their little incubator.  It is a very happy Humpday indeed here in the Carondelet Garden.  Yesterday was a lovely day to get out and work the soil.  We cut in borders and took out some weeds and errant grass.  Big news:  our seed potatoes arrived yesterday!  

We can expect sunny to partly cloudy skies today with winds out of the NNW at 5 to 10 MPH.  The sun is so welcome.  I'm a bit worried about Friday's low temperatures and our young onion hybrids.  I'll cover and pray.  It's all we can do, right?  I wish you hope this Wednesday.  We can all use a bit of that.  Be kind to yourself.  You deserve that!  Have a wonderful Wednesday Gardening Friends!

Day:  44-degrees  /  Night 31-degrees
Today we will have a load of raised bed soil delivered.  The new beds are looking good from the Fall, but we need to add some more soil to bring them up to the correct level.  This is starting to get real now.  The journey is the reward but vegetables make it even better!  

It's partly cloudy in the garden this morning.  A chill lingers in the air, yet the birds are singing and you can almost feel the garden buzzing with energy.  It's just below the surface of the ground but the life is ready to burst upward!  Be kind to yourself and those who may cross your path today.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!

Day:  46-degrees  /  Night:  26-degrees
It's a wet Monday here in the Carondelet Garden.  Quite a bit of rain overnight.  The freshly planted Onions will love the moisture, but the cooler temperatures are a bit of a worry for the young plants.  Tonight they will be covered in a blanket.  On the good news side of things, our seedlings are doing quite well.  Lettuce and a couple of tomatoes have poked their little heads up.  It's an exciting time here in South St. Louis!

Chilly and overcast with a slight chance of a few rain showers later today.  The winds are out of the NW at 10 to 20 MPH.  Bundle up friends.  It's not that cold but it feels worse because of the springlike temperatures of the past few days.  Spring is coming.  The joy of gardening is returning to these old bones.  We have to search for joy sometimes.  It doesn't come easy in a world torn asunder, but it is there.  Look for the joy around you.  Embrace it and nourish it.  You deserve joy even with the sadness.  Joy comes in the morning.  Be kind to yourself.  Have a great day Gardening Friends!