Happy Feast Day of Saint Ignatius Loyola founder of the Jesuits.  I've long loved the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius and the daily practice of the Examen.  A look back over the day. Remember the good and the bad and finding God's place in all of it.  It helps center this old gardener.  

It is tomato season here in the Carondelet Garden.  We have harvested almost 30 pounds of San Marzano tomatoes so far with so many getting ready to turn this week.  Luckily the critters aren't that excited about them.  We still lose a fair number, but I overplant!  I know, everyone is shocked that this old gardener overplants tomatoes!  Soon it will be Marinara canning season in the @carondeletkitchen.  Dr. B is already checking on her supplies and we will be heading to the Hill neighborhood to stock up on some essentials like good EVOO!  It is exciting!

We welcome the cooler temperatures this morning here in the garden.  A good day and week to get out and harvest and get some weeding done.  Tomorrow the electrician comes to fix some issues from last week.  Things are getting done.  Work is happening.  The harvest is coming in.  Life is pretty good here in the Carondelet Garden.  

I'm starting the week with a bit of faith, hope and love.  I hope you are as well.  The sun is shining, the temperatures are a bit cooler, and there are tomatoes!  Be good and be kind to yourself this week.  You deserve it!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a bright, sunny, hot morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The heat has returned for yet another day, so the watering continues.  I've lost several tomatoes to sunburn these past few days.  A bit sad, but the warm nights have made so many turn seemingly overnight!  The harvest is definitely plenty.

I love companion planting and one of my favorite plants is the Marigold.  A beautiful bloom that just keeps giving and the smell is the smell of summer for this old gardener.  They are the perfect companions for the tomato garden.  They help with insect control, and you get bountiful beauty as well.  The perfect combination.

We had the pleasure of meeting some young friends for dinner last night.  They have been married for just over a year and their love is more evident every day.  They are a breath of fresh air.  Positive, beautiful people inside and out.  What a lovely way to spend the evening enjoying good food, good drink and amazing fellowship.  A blessing indeed!

Thankful is the word for this old gardener on this last Friday in July.  Thankful for friends and the joy they give to us and to the world.  We are blessed beyond measure.  Count your blessings the song says.  I want to remember to do that every single day.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a warm start to the morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The Alliums are looking quite lovely still.  The began blooming in mid-June and are still looking amazing in the parterre garden.  These were my first plantings in the newest part of the garden way back in 2020.  It was my first big retirement gardening project and I'm still in love with this part of the garden.  

The garden is my sacred space.  That is the gift of gardening.  A place that allows me to simply pay attention and to be receptive.  I can truly find exactly what my soul needs and be inspired or healed along the way.  A sacred space where I can simply experience the presence of the Creator.  

I hope you find a sacred space for yourself on this last Thursday in July.  Be good to yourself and others as you travel about on this extremely hot day.  Be patient with yourself.  Stay hydrated and be responsive to your needs.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A tiny bit of rain and a bunch of clouds this morning in the Carondelet Garden.  It's already sticky and warm outside.  It's going to be another Southside Scorcher here in South Saint Louis.  Welcome to late July!

No new pictures this morning but I did find these lovely shots of our Calla Lily from earlier this summer.  They were truly stunning this year and somewhat of a surprise as they didn't come up last year so I thought they were done and over.  Never count out a Calla lilly!

Although not considered true lilies, the calla lily is a beautiful flower that is available in a multitude of colors.  The plant grows from rhizomes and is ideal for use in beds and borders.  It is easy to grow calla lilies. These plants do not generally require too much attention. Proper planting and location are about the only important things to consider when growing calla lilies. Care of calla lilies requires that they be planted in loose, well-drained soil.  

If you have to be outside today, please take care of yourself and keep hydrated!  We have a list of things to get done today so I'm off to it.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a warm, sunny start to the day here in South Saint Louis.  The watering regime has returned to the Garden life.  The heat is beginning to build up once again, but the Wave Petunias are hanging in there.  The give a nice pop of color to the front garden.

This week is the last of the container tomatoes.  The Sweet 100s and Candyland were a delightful addition to our tomato garden.  The Romas are just about finished as well.  We didn't get as many as we hoped as the critters discovered them before we were able to get many.  But we did get a few and tonight we will enjoy some Pico de Gallo!  

Our pico de gallo recipe came from my wonderful friend from Mexico.  We worked together for many years and absolutely fell in love with her and her beautiful family.  She left us far too soon last year, but her memory and her delicious recipes live on!  Tonight is Cristy's pico!

Today is filled with gardening and memories.  Love is the common theme.  Sorrow because of loss but the memories and love continue on and on and on.  Here's to a day filled with faith, hope, love and gardening!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a beautiful morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  Our Rose Mallo has decided to bring forth some gorgeous blossoms on this Monday in July.  What a stunning sight to see on my morning walkabout.  

Mallos were a favorite of my mother-in-law.  She loved the big, showy blossoms.  She was, to say the least, a bit dramatic with a flair for bright colors and her signature bright, red lipstick.  I think that is why she loved this over-the-top flower.  We found this one and had to find a place for it in the parterre garden in her honor.  She passed away almost 3 years ago in the height of COVID.  Her memorial service is one I will never forget.  It was just my wife and I and a priest because of the lockdown.  Yet, it was one of the most touching, beautiful send-offs ever.  God does speak whenever two or more are gathered together.  As much as my MIL loved a party, I think she would have been very pleased.  

It's a lovely day in late July.  The hard work in the house is finally over and I can get back to my puttering in the garden.  I am believing the old saw that "you don't own a house; a house owns you."  Still, I love this old house in South Saint Louis.  Here's to a new week, a new day and some sunshine and blue skies.  Have an amazing day Gardening Friends.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

As we like to say here in South Saint Louis, walking outside this morning was like being slapped in the face with a hot, wet dishrag!  It's yucky outside this morning.  It's almost like it is raining without anything falling from the sky.  The air is thick, hot and humid.  Not a great morning for doing anything outside.  The good news is our tropical plant like the hibiscus is loving this!

I'm going to be offline for a few days as we finished the home repairs and get things back in shape.  It's been a long week and the finishing work will be done tomorrow.  Excited to be finished.  Chaos has ruled these past few days and I'm not a chaos-loving old man.  But soon all will be done!

Please take care of yourselves if you are out and about on the hot, humid day in Saint Louis.  Patience is the word of the day.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a lovely morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  I was greeted by this gorgeous English Tea Rose as I puttered about in this early morning sunshine.  Quite the beauty here in the Garden.

It is always nice to hear people comment on the Garden as they pass our way on the journeys throughout the day.  "How do you make your garden do that?"  It's simple:  a little faith, hope, love and effort.  Despite the hard work, weeds, pests, diseases, thunderstorms, etc... our love of the flowers, shrubs, plants, vegetables and trees... gardening is what we do because of love.  We love it.

The garden is my spiritual home.  A place where I can pray and meditate and where I feel close to my creator.  We talk and laugh and, sometimes, cry.  It's an oasis from the storms of life.  I hope you can find a bit of peace and beauty on your journey this Wednesday in Ordinary Time.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a mostly cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden on this Tuesday morning in July.  Scattered thunderstorms are on the horizon once again for our area.  Some areas have been pounded by severe weather.  Prayers for a gentle, soaking rain and no damage this time.  Our roof is finally fixed.  

I feel a bit disconnected the past few days as we clean and prepare for some inside work to be done to the Carondelet Cottage we call home.  Working the soil, nurturing plants and watching them grow is a bit like religious devotion for this old gardener.  The small rituals and annual celebration that is harvest, the regular contact with the essentials of this life... earth, water, sunlight, growth... conspire to make me feel spiritually enriched.  It may not be a truly religious experience, but it does feed this old man's soul.

The inside work is almost done, and I can soon return to my daily routine of puttering around the garden.  As they so, take care of your home and your home will take care of you.  The work continues, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and soon it will be finished.  

Have a wonderful Tuesday.  Be safe on your journey today.  Know this, you are loved just the way you are right now.  Isn't that remarkable?  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.  

It's a lovely start to the week here in the Carondelet Garden.  The air is light and a slight breeze is coming in through the open window.  What a simple pleasure to have the windows open in mid-July.  I love the fresh air in the house.  

My heirloom tomatoes are really starting to show off a bit.  I cannot wait for a beautiful ripe 'Old German' or 'Cherokee Purple' to ripen.  @kneed_bakehouse will be my first stop for some of their amazing sourdough and then home to make bruschetta.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Dorothy Frances Gurney once said, "One is neared to God's heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth."  I believe that to be true.  The Carondelet Garden is my sacred space.  A blessed place of peach, faith hope, love and spiritual enlightenment.  I think it is an unwritten, almost unconscious aspiration for many gardeners.  

​It's a beautiful day.  I hope you have an opportunity to get outside and enjoy this moment.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a bit overcast and cloudy this morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  It's supposed to be a hot one with temperatures in the upper 90s this afternoon with sunshine.  It is a day of rest, relaxation and renewal for the old gardener in South Saint Louis.  

Here's to a day filled with peace, a bit of faith, a touch of hope and a whole lot of love.  Have a wonderful Sabbath Gardening friends!

It's muggy and overcast here in the Carondelet Garden on the mid-July Saturday.  The flowers are appreciative of the moisture from heaven yesterday.  The rains were most welcome, but the storms can stay away!

We are transforming a wee small area that used to be used to store our firewood into a Hosta Garden with miniature varieties.  It is already looking quite nice and I'll be sharing pictures soon!  We love Hostas because we have a few very shady areas, and these lovely plants thrive in the shade.

Today is soup day as Dr. B has created her famous French Onion Soup with some of the onions we harvested earlier.  I can't wait to try it!  The smells are intoxicating.  It's a good day to be an old gardener as I get to enjoy some of the fruits of my labor.  Here's to a weekend filled with good things!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

"A Primrose by the River's brim..."  My Primrose are nowhere near a river's brim, but they are lovely in the parterre garden.  Whenever I'm working out in the parterre, I'm always reminded of the line from A Quiet Man:  "Oh, look... A Primrose by the River's brink.  NO!  It's a Primrose by the River's brim because the next line ends with hymn!"  A quarreling vicar and his wife.  Not sure why I find it funny, but I do!

It's warm, humid, sticky morning out in the Carondelet Garden this Friday in mid-July.  It's early and the roofers have arrived to begin their work.  Thank goodness for trustworthy skilled labor.  These are things I cannot do, and I am grateful to those who have the skills and ability to get the job done.  It is always a pleasure to watch a skilled craftsman or woman ply their trade.  

As much as we may own this old house and garden, it seems it truly owns us.  Work is never truly finished as much as it is abandoned for the moment.  Weeding, watering, planting, harvesting, painting, caulking, etc... it's a never-ending process.  Yet, I would miss it all if I couldn't do it anymore.  I am so often amazed by the little things that bring me such amazing joy.  I am constantly reminded of the incredible journey we are on every moment of our lives.  Amazing grace!

Heading out to get some gardening done in the early morning before the heat and humidity really take over.  Stay cool and hydrated on this humid, hot Friday in July.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Good Thursday morning from the old gardener here in Carondelet.  It's a bit of gloomy beginning of the day here in South Saint Louis.  A few thunderstorms rolled through our area last night and into this morning bringing some much-needed rain to the garden.  Such a blessing after the near drought conditions we've been experiencing in our area this summer season.

It's a busy day on tap for this gardener.  Lunch with an old work buddy.  Then happy hour this evening with another friend to catch up.  It's always a good time catching up and visiting in person.  I can be lazy about contacting people or rely solely on texting and brief emails.  Face-to-face is so much better and you get the added benefit of food and drink!

​It's off to the races soon.  Now for a few quick chores to get the day started.  I hope this day brings you a bit of grace and love.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a beautiful sunny start to the day on this Ordinary Wednesday in July.  The Mallo is in bloom with her stunning red flowers.  What a gorgeous start to the day getting to witness this bit of grace first thing in the morning.  

Mallos are a new addition to the Carondelet Garden.  My MIL loved Mallos and their cousins the Hibiscus.  We never really found the space for it in our garden until we needed to replace a diseased plant from last summer.  This beauty has graced us with blooms over and over again the past week or so.  

It's a work day here in the Garden.  The Jalapenos are ready for a big harvest and Dr. B has scheduled the afternoon for the making of Hot Pepper Jelly.  You will hear no complaints from the old gardener about that proposition!  I hope you get a chance to witness a bit of gorgeous grace on your journey this Wednesday in Ordinary Time.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a sunny start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden.  Lovely low-70s temperatures to begin this Ordinary Tuesday.  The last Iris in bloom amongst the Hostas in the side garden.  You would almost miss it standing alone over there but it is a stunning bloom indeed.  

The tomatoes are starting to come in daily.  The squirrels and other little critters have gotten more than a few this year.  That is why I overplant what I actually need so they can have a few as well.  It's part of the deal when you live in an urban setting and garden vegetables.  Sometimes the critters are going to win.  I guess that's something you simply get used to. 

They say rain is in the forecast for tomorrow but I'm not sure I believe that so I'm heading out to water some this morning.  Maybe do a little puttering around.  Old gardeners are world class putterers!  Here's to a beautiful day filled with a bit of hope, a touch of faith and a bunch of love. That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is an absolutely stunning morning here in South Saint Louis.  What a beautiful day.  It is cool enough to open the windows for a bit to get some of that fresh air into the house.  A perfect mid-summer's morning here in the Carondelet Garden.

The Hollyhocks are doing so well this year!  Last year we suffered a terrible case of Rust with our Hollyhocks.  I truly believed they were goners.  While we were watching one of our favorite television shows:  Beechgrove on BritBox, Dr. B came up with the idea to send them a viewer's question.  As you can imagine, I was skeptical.  This is a Scottish television series.  I'm pretty sure they won't care too much about some crazy garden problem in Saint Louis.  Boy, was I WRONG!  They immediately responded with a detailed email with great suggestions.  I followed them scrupulously and this is the result in the second year!  They are so kind and generous with their time and knowledge.  We watch the show every week and always say it is the fastest 30 minutes ever!

The one thing about gardening is it does keep you humble.  You can truly do everything "right" and still experience disappointment and disaster.  Yet, you keep trying and when you do hit the jackpot... WOW!  Such a rush of joy and excitement.  Not that much different than life, really.  We don't always get what we think we want, but somehow it usually works out pretty well.  Like gardening, it takes time, faith, hope and a lot of love to get through it but those moments when it works out!  

Here's to a new week of gardening.  A new week of faith, and hoping and a lot of love to get through it.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a beautiful Sunday morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  A cooler morning so the windows are open.  A lovely breeze is coming in and the fresh air is a gift on this Sunday in July.  

I'm so excited about this harvest of Music Garlic.  We went on the sustainable backyard garden tour last year and @stl_stead recommended Music Garlic and we were sold.  Thanks for a great recommendation!  

It's a gorgeous day today.  We are heading out to do a bit of exploring.  I hope you have an adventure as well on this lovely Summer's day.  Faith, hope, love and all things good are my prayer for us all.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a beautiful early start to the morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  We are watering the front flower garden this morning.  Even with the rains from last weekend we still need to water.  We only received a trickle of rain from yesterday's storms.  Thus, the watering regime continues for the time being.

I love this picture of the Alliums in bloom.  We call them "firecracker plants" around here.  Our Instagram friend @sustainablebackyardstl posted this from a classic tweet by @jonnysun:  "you ever wish that fireworks were incredibly quiet and also didn't disappear so quickly and you could keep them in your home, and you could hold them in your hands?  If so, I'd love to introduce you to... Flowers!"  Isn't that the truth?  

It's a sunny southside morning.  Here's to a day filled with kindness and goodness and the glory of flowers bursting into bloom all around us.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a beautiful morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  We've harvested the last of the Snow Peas and they are incredible!  I love to simply pop one in my mouth right off the vine.  So sweet and tender.  It is such a joy to reap the rewards of gardening.

Like so many South Saint Louis backyards we have this 12" path between the concrete walkway and the fence line.  For years I was at a loss as to what it would be good for.  After we installed our vinyl fence and some solid metal borders.  It was a revelation to use the area to grow beans and peas!  It was the best thing as the beans and peas love it.  We have some portable trellis that we can put in and take out as needed.  It's been such an eye-opening experience for this old gardener.  Thanks for sharing your pictures and stories on Instagram and giving this old dog some new tricks!

It's a sunny start to the day but we may be in for some rain and storms this afternoon.  The rain is more than welcome but the bad storms can stay away, thank you very much!  Here's a big of faith, a touch of hope and as much love as I can give on this Wednesday in July.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Happy July from the old gardener in Carondelet!  What a weekend filled with storms we've had here in Saint Louis.  We definitely needed the moisture from heaven!  The gardens have been so dry it had become an almost full-time job keeping things watered.

I took about two weeks off to finish some projects that I needed to finish.  We also did a lot of gardening and harvesting!  The Snap Peas are all in and they are delicious.  The Blue Lake Beans are in as well and we couldn't have been happier.  The Music Garlic did very well and we are excited to start using that soon.  Our Candy Onions were a slight disappointment this year as they did not get as large as I had hoped.  Not quite sure what happened, so I'm still investigating.  The good news is the onions are a sweet as ever and truly delicious!

Have you ever struggled with questions of faith?  Questions that are simply left unresolved in your heart and mind.  I've been struggling with those questions for a while now.  I wanted to take some time to meditate, read, and listen to the quiet more.  One thing I've learned over the past few weeks is to learn to love the questions themselves. I'm learning to be patient with those unresolved things in my heart.  I'm trying to embrace the mystery as I realize that today I see through the glass darkly but one day all will be revealed.  I'm learning.  I'm trying to embrace the journey.  

It's a beautiful morning here in the Carondelet Garden with sun shining brightly in the bright blue sky.  I'm learning to love the questions of this old life.  Maybe, I just need to learn to love a little bit more.  Here's to a bit faith, a touch of hope and whole lot of love for this first week in July.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.