The sun is shining, and it is already hot and humid here in the Carondelet Garden.  The Dahlias do not seem to notice and are looking quite lovely this last morning in July.  We are still in the grips of a heat wave here in South Saint Louis.  Be careful outside today!

Today, July 31, is the feast day of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus who passed away on this day in the year 1556.  Ignatius was a different kind of saint. Ignatius made sure that the early Jesuits were spending most of their time in relatively secular spaces such as classrooms — teaching less directly about the Bible and Church doctrine than about literature and the ancient classics. He sent letters to his missionaries asking that they write back not just about their ministries, but also about the local customs, the plants and wildlife — “anything that seems extraordinary.” Most of all, Ignatius wanted Jesuits to go out and “find God in all things.”

I am drawn to the idea of finding God in all things.  It is a humbling and exhilarating notion that the God who created all things is here, available to us, in all things.  The Creator of all wants to be a part of our lives in every way.  As Fr. Jim Costello used to say, "God loves us, just the way we are, right now.  No exceptions,"

It's a good day to remember that God loves us.  Happy Feast Day gardening friends.  Find something extraordinary to enjoy today and bask in the love of the Creator of all things.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

An early walkabout with the Garden Doodle this Monday morning before the rains set in.  We should see thunderstorms this morning giving way to partly cloudy skies this afternoon.  It's going to be the beginning of a hot and humid week here in South Saint Louis.  Grateful for the liquid sunshine this morning!

A busy weekend getting everything ready for the delivery of a new washer and dryer here in the Carondelet Cottage.  The old Maytag breathed its last breath.  We get our new pair delivered today.  Of course, the old century plus basement needed some TLC and repair work before the appliances arrived.  All finished and looking pretty good.  We are finally ready for the delivery. My knees and hips are saying thank you that this work is finally finished!

Here's to a quiet week in Carondelet as July utters its last and August begins.  Where is this summer going?  Be good to yourself and kind to others as you journey about this hot and humid summer day.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A beautiful morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  We have sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s as we start this last Friday in July.  The Coleus almost looks otherworldly in the early morning light.  A bit of grace as we begin our march toward the weekend.

The garden has been one of my best teachers.  As a younger man I was convinced I could force my will onto anything and change it by sheer determination, usually making the problem much worse.  At this time of life, I've finally had enough of trying to get everything to turn out the way I think it should.  I've learned to surrender a bit.  Otherwise, what's left?  Being tired and angry all the time?  That is no way to live this last chapter.  The garden is a great teacher.  You can try and do everything just right and still fail miserably.  Sometimes you can simply do it and hope for the best and it works out better than you could ever imagine.  

We are trying to live our simply, ordinary life in a way that makes our world a slightly better place.  We aren't rich and powerful, but we can be that spark of goodness and kindness that the world needs right now.  A little faith, a bit of hope and all the love we can muster will make a difference.  As the song says, "Don't stop Believing."  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a partly cloudy Monday morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The parterre garden is looking quite lovely on this penultimate Monday in July.  A bit of grace to begin our week here in South Saint Louis.

We have been on a bit of a roller coaster ride with health issues this year.  Friday was a good news kind of day.  We are grateful for health.  We are grateful for a great support system.  Good doctors and amazing nurses.  We are grateful for the grace of our Creator who loves us even when aren't very loveable.  

Lots of chores today.  We will be heading out to get things going soon.  Here's to an amazing last full week of July!  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you journey about.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A sunshine-filled morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The little Doodle dog and I just finished our morning walk, and the humidity is much better than it has been.  The rains have moved out, thankfully!  We received over 7-inches of rain yesterday.  Today should be sunshine and clouds mixed with a stray shower or thunderstorm possible.  Hopefully, not today!

We had a wonderful evening with our nieces, great-nieces and nephews last night as we shared our Crab Cakes and Dr. B's incredible Key Lime Pie.  A lovely time catching up with these busy young people.  Tuesday evenings have become our time to share with our family.  It's a joy to watch them grow and become incredibly amazing people.

It's hump day and the sun is shining.  Sometimes, that is good enough.  The world is a crazy, scary place sometimes, but we have to be the change we want to see.  Be good and be kind.  Simply and plainly kindness wins.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a purple Monday here in the Carondelet Garden on this sunny, humid morning in mid-July.  There is a heat advisory for today here in South Saint Louis where the temperature is expected to be over 100 degrees by later this afternoon.  Getting some watering done early this morning.  Be careful if you have to be outside for any length of time.

We had a busy weekend of farmers' markets and chores.  Today we are heading out early to hit the grocery store and run a few more errands before the heat really sets in.  Even the Garden Doodle is happy to sit inside when it is this hot. 

Today is the perfect day to be good and kind to yourself and others.  We are living in crazy times with so much uncertainty and anger.  Our response must be to show a little more kindness.  Like the old song said, "it only takes a spark to get the fire burning."  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A bright, sunny, humid morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  It is truly tomato season in the garden right now as the heirlooms are coming in with vigor.  A true joy as we enjoy our BLTs, bruschetta, and pastas along with a lovely glass of wine in the evenings.  Simple summer pleasures.

We are in the height of summer here in South Saint Louis.  The days are long, and the abundance is evident with the garden overflowing with floral and edible goodness.  The plants and vegetables are truly coming into their own with a weightier heft.  A time of savoring the beauty of the harvest and a bit of garden sitting and listening to the birds sing as they flutter in and out of the Dogwood tree after enjoying a little dinner from our bird feeders.

The weather has been wet and wild this July.  Yet, the garden perseveres through it all with a grace I do not understand nor deserve.  That is the summation of grace:  something I receive but do not understand or deserve.  The knowledge that there is nothing I can do to make God love me more and there is nothing I can do to make God love me less.  Comfort and joy to be sure!

The weekend is almost upon us.  We are heading out to Tower Grove Farmers' Market tomorrow morning with my amazing niece and her adorable little girl.  How lucky can these #supercoololdpeople be?  

This is the high spot of the year in our gardens.  Seize it with both hands and make the most of every single second.  The days are gone too soon for us to take this for granted.  Be good to yourself!  You deserve it.  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 rains have finally come to an end and the sun is shining again.  The Hollyhocks were incredible this year.  We almost lost them to Rust two years ago but received some great advice and they are doing really well.  An old school addition to the Parterre Garden.

My wonderful neighbor @vickinorthrop reported over three inches of rain on Monday and another five inches of rain yesterday.  A lot of rain in a pretty short time.  Needless to say, this old gardener has been dealing with a bit of water in the old cellar.  The joys of living in a century old house. 

The garden is actually looking quite amazing this morning.  I'm heading out soon to doing a little work and edit a few things that have come to the end of their lifespans.  The joy of gardening is that while a plant may have finished its life, it lives on as compost to give life once again.  Such a beautiful gift.

To work I must go.  Work is such a harsh word for something I love doing.  Here's to working at something you love.  Be good and be kind to yourself on this midweek Wednesday.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a pink-filled Monday here in the Carondelet Garden.  The sun is shining, and temps are lovely early in the morning.  It looks like we will be seeing some rain and possibly a thunderstorm later in the day.  The rain is welcome, but the storms can stay away thank you very much.

There is a generosity in growing older.  More time to do the things that interest you.  More time to rest and reflect.  Yet, there never seems to be enough time.  One of Dr. B's pet peeves is when someone asks, "what do you do all day?"  We laugh and laugh and can't imagine how we would get everything accomplished if we were still working a full-time job.  Our life is our work now and we have the ability to choose our own direction and follow the path the Creator of all things has set forth for us.  At least we try.

It's a good day for a good day.  Here's to beginning our week with kindness and generosity.  Filled with gratefulness and hope.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a sunny, humid morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The Clematis is looking quite lovely even with the rain and storms yesterday.  We welcome the rain, but 5-inches may have been a bit overkill.   

I ran across this the other day and wish I knew where it was from, but I agree wholeheartedly:  "You ever wish that fireworks were incredibly quiet and also didn't disappear so quickly and you could keep them in your home and also hold them in your hands?  If so, I'd love to introduce you to... flowers!"  So very true!

As Camille Pissaro said, "Blessed are they that see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing."  Kindness is seeing with your heart rather than your head.  It's a good day to plant the seeds of kindness and tend to it.  Feed it, give it a chance to grow deep roots and nurture that garden of kindness.  It's a good day.  

​That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.