A beautiful blue sky, white puffy clouds kind of day here in the Carondelet Garden on this last day of August.  As hot and sticky as last week was, this week has been absolutely delightful.  Low 60s as we headed out to the garden this morning.  This is the last of the peppers for this season.  We did very well and have quite the stash of Pepper Jelly and Hot Sauce stocked up for the cooler months ahead.  College football is here and I'm thinking Dr. B will be breaking out the chili soon!  Go Irish!

I love the theologian Richard Rohr and this quote is one of my favorites:  "Most do not see this as they ARE; they see things as THEY are!"  Isn't that the truth?  I know it is for me way too often.  I want to grow into a person who simply loves what happens in this life in such a way that the simple, ordinary things become outrageously extraordinary!  Wouldn't that change the world?  

It's a good day for a good day.  Enjoy the journey today.  See the extraordinary. Enjoy the last of the harvest and start getting ready for fall planting.   That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

What a blessing this weather is.  Today it was in the low 60s as I first stepped out into the Garden, and it was so lovely.  We visited our friends @greenscapegardens_stl yesterday to outfit a bit of a porch refresh.  We had such a good time at Jennifer's talk @mobotgarden a few weeks ago that we had to do a Fall Refresh of our front porch.

We spent much of the late morning picking out our "Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers" for the pots.  Such a fun and beautiful way to begin the Fall season.  I know Summer is still here but as an old educator I cannot help but believe that Fall begins the day the kiddos head back to school!  Labor Day is still my official first day of Fall!  

We had a lovely day celebrating creation.  Wherever we find ourselves there is beauty to behold, drawing us in.  Drawing us deeper, drawing us to what is indeed holy and increasing our longing for creation as it was meant to be.  Drawing us to the Creator! 

A beautiful day to celebrate creation! Enjoy the journey and behold the beauty this last Wednesday of August.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

"Oh, What a beautiful morning!"  You can just hear the song playing in your head as you walk out the door this Tuesday in August.  Low 60s and just lovely in the Garden.  Our lovely Hosta 'Island Breeze' is our newest addition to the back garden.  We decided to move our wood pile to give ourselves a nice little shady patch to plant "display" Hostas that we've always wanted but never really had the room.  Seeing the Hostas @mobotgarden keeps giving us way too many ideas!

We are heading out to some Garden Centers this morning to begin our "Fall Refresh" with new container plants and adding new Basils to the Kitchen Garden.  There are few things more invigorating that visiting a Garden Center and getting new ideas.  Do you have a favorite?  

The day is beginning and I'm ready to get a little work done before we have our fun.  It's a good day for a good day! I hope you find kindness and goodness on your journey this Tuesday in Ordinary Time.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is an absolutely gorgeous morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  The Hosta 'Queen of Hearts' is a new addition to the Hosta Garden, and it has weathered the heat rather well, I think.  I was worried for some of the newer plants, but most seem to have weathered things just fine.  We have had a few losses, but such is the life of a gardener.  As I heard a gardener say the other day, "You don't really know a plant until you've killed it twice."  Truth!

The heat wave is finally over, and the weekend felt like a prelude to Autumn-like weather.  What a grace to be able to go out and enjoy the garden and feel as though we are able to live again.  The chance to see the garden with such intense regard.  We realize that nothing is truly ordinary.  As believers our grace-filled imaginations unlock for us the awesome potential in all things.  Our gardens are proof of that awesome potential.

A beautiful day in very late August. I am heading out to the Garden soon to weed and do some mowing.  A list of chores neglected during the heatwave await.  I'm excited to get things going again.  It's a good day for a good day.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you continue your journey on this last Monday of August.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Woke up early this morning to our own version of "Groundhog Day." The heat wave has been unrelenting, and the watering regime is continuing on day five.  The flowers are hanging in there.  Not looking too much worse for the wear.  Tomorrow we should get a bit of a reprieve with a cool front moving in.  A bit of grace when we need it most!

I read an anonymous quote the other day, "Gardens are mediators of the Divine."  I thought it was a beautiful quote but also a true sentiment.  Even in the heat with watering cans or a hose in my hand I can feel the presence, the mystery of the Creator all around me when I'm in the Garden.  A thin place to be sure.  

It is, hopefully, the final day of this heat wave here in South Saint Louis.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others.  Hydrate.  Rest.  Stay cool.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a hot morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  We woke up early and it was already in the low 80s.  The weather folks are saying tomorrow will be the last day of this heat wave and it won't come too soon.  The watering regime is continuing, and we are in a fight to keep the plants going.  So far we are winning.  

If you have ever been to a state fair, you have probably seen a pavilion filled with exotic and amazing dahlia blossoms. These hugely varietal flowers are a collector’s dream, with little starburst blooms to plate-sized flowers in every hue imaginable. Dahlias are relatively sturdy plants if grown in the right lighting, heat, and soil.  Our Dahlias are still looking quite lovely even in this heat wave.  

The heat continues. The work goes on. We are keeping the faith and hoping for the best.  The garden is loved and cared for.  For centuries gardens were designed as sacred spaces.  Blessed grounds of peace, happiness, harmony and spiritual enlightenment.  This is my goal for the garden.  Looking forward to the break in the weather so I can spend a bit more time in my happy place.

It's a hot Ordinary Thursday in South Saint Louis.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you journey about.  Stay hydrated and take many breaks.  Don't overdo it!  Advice from an old gardener.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

The heat wave continues here in the Carondelet Garden.  Up before dawn again to continue the watering regime.  We are having pretty good luck with the plants. The Million Bells are looking quite lovely.  While Calibrachoa Million Bells may be a fairly new species, this dazzling little plant is a must-have in the garden. Its name comes from the fact that it features hundreds of small, bell-like flowers that resemble miniature petunias. Its trailing habit makes it perfect for use in hanging baskets, containers or as a small area ground cover. We use them as small area ground cover here in the Garden and they are doing very well.

It's mid-week and the doldrums of this heat wave have hit.  I'm ready for Autumn.  I'm ready for some cooler temperatures.  I'm ready for some porch sitting and a lovely beverage in the evening.  I'm trying to be patient but I'm ready for Fall!  How about you?  I have no complaints.  We are cool and comfortable.  We have no real needs unmet.  We are beyond fortunate.  It's time to count your blessings old man!  

It's another Ordinary Wednesday in late August in South Saint Louis.  The heat and humidity are hanging around for a few more days but the weather folks tell me we shall have some relief by the weekend.  Be careful and take care of yourself as you journey about today.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is another hot, sticky morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  Once again, up before the sun to get the watering regime started as we fight the heat.  Yesterday was not nearly as bad as we expected.  The cloud cover was a bit of a welcome relief to be sure.  My beautiful Woodland Phlox is no worse for the wear and is looking quite dashing in the garden this morning.

I'm trying to remember to slow down and pay attention to plants, animals, the world around me, people I see every day.  I'm really trying to slow down.  I'm beginning to understand that the overlooked expression of love is paying attention.  The Jesuits always taught us that God is in all things.  If God does indeed dwell in all things and all people, then I need to appreciate and respond to that divine presence.  Yet, I can only do that if I am actually paying attention.  As Paul Simon would sing, "Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last. Just kicking down the cobble stones. Looking for fun and feelin' groovy"

It's a great day for feelin' groovy.  Slow down today.  It's good for you especially in this heat and humidity!  Stay hydrated. Stay cool!  Look for some fun!  Feel groovy!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a hot, sticky, humid morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  I woke up to 82-degrees in the darkness of early morning.  The watering regime has begun again!  Out very early to avoid some of the major heat of the day.  Trying desperately to keep the garden as healthy as possible during this heatwave in the dog days of August. 

The flowers this morning were a true gift.  So many blooms bursting open and putting a smile on this old gardener's face.   I have to remind myself to recognize the gifts given to me every single day.  I remind myself to be grateful for the small things as well as the big ones.  I work at becoming more grateful.  Let's face it, grateful people are happier people.  

It's a warm, sticky, humid day in South Saint Louis.  Be careful, stay hydrated and keep cool as you continue your journey this Ordinary Monday in late August.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Another lovely morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  Low 60s and almost no humidity on this late Summer Friday in August.  Am I still in Missouri in Summer?  Loving these last few days as I've been able to get a ton of weeding finished.  

As I've wandered about my garden these past few days, I was struck with the WONDER of it all.  It is so humbling to see, hear, and feel the earth and witness the glory of life around me.  I believe that we feel more deeply when we are in nature and simply experience the richness of life about us.  

Elizabeth Barret Browning said it so well, "Earth is crammed with heaven, and we miss it or dismiss it."  My simple, ordinary life's goal is stop missing and dismissing the wonder about me.  We are so fortunate because we do not have to do anything to summon God's presence.  God is always, already here waiting for us and always trying to get our attention.  Be inspired by the wonder! 

A simple, ordinary Friday filled with wonder.  Don't miss it or dismiss it!  Be good and be kind to yourself on your journey today.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Another beautiful start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden.  The flowers are looking quite lovely after a long day of weeding and dead-heading plants yesterday.  The work continues and the joy is unceasing.  

The garden is a never-ending journey, but the joy also never ends.  Gardens are truly a gift.  I am thankful for the time and opportunity to pursue this passion project.  As I've gotten older, I'm slowly realizing (because I can be a bit of a slow learner) that the only way to show gratitude is to actually notice the gift before us:  a flower, that perfect tomato, a young child, an older friend, a mild and sunny day or, perhaps, the perfect sunset.  We live and move in our environment and oftentimes we fail to see the good and beautiful things that surround us.  The very things that give us joy and grace.  There are so many gifts to be discovered and memories simply waiting to be made.  Joy and Grace surround us if we only take a moment to notice the gifts.

It's a gorgeous day outside.  I'm heading out soon to finish a few more chores.  I'm also going to take a few moments to take in the beauty and notice the gifts of the garden on this mid-August day.  Enjoy the journey today. You will be surprised how many things you've never really "seen" before.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is simply gorgeous out in the Carondelet Garden on this Ordinary Wednesday in August.  Low 60s and low humidity combine for the perfect sunny walkabout.  You would be hard-pressed to have a better weather day.  

Yesterday we had the chance to visit our very own @mobotgarden to hear Jen Schamber from @greenscapegardens_stl talk about "Grow Your World: The Extended Season Gardener."  A fun and informative talk with great demonstrations.  She reminded us that GARDENING is verb.  Planting is just the beginning.  This is a journey and a process.  She is right on as the journey is continuous here in the Carondelet Garden. I think my favorite takeaway was when she was talking about failure, she said "You never really know a plant until you kill it twice!"  I laughed because it's so true!

What a joy to have a treasure like @mobotgarden in our City.  We have this amazing resource in our own backyard.  Saint Louis is a great place with our own set of problems.  We need to celebrate the good as we work to fix the bad.  

It's a beautiful day.  A stunning, sunny morning to get out and work in the garden.  I'm already planning my Extended Season Garden.  What are your plans for this Fall?  I'd love to hear your ideas.  It's a good day for a good day.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a mostly cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  It is quite lovely outside with much cooler temperatures this Tuesday.  This is our Artemesia.  A newer addition to our parterre garden.  Looking quite lovely after the rains of this past weekend.

We finished canning about 60 pounds of tomatoes yesterday.  We are finished and so are the tomatoes.  We've already cleaned up the beds and will be putting some of the finishing touches and planting some green manure later this week.  Today we are heading to @mobotgarden for a workshop on Fall planting.  Always exciting to learn new things.  

It's a busy day for the old gardener.  Here's to a good day filled with kindness for all.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a humid, sticky, overcast morning here in the Carondelet Garden on this mid-August Monday.  Kind of yucky out there right now but the rain was welcome.  We may get a bit more heavenly moisture this morning, but it doesn't look very likely right now.  

It's going to be a busy day here in the cozy cottage in Carondelet.  We finished harvesting the San Marzano tomatoes.  The total appears to be about 125 pounds of tomatoes this year.  Pretty good haul considering how many the critters took!  No complaints, this is plenty.  Today we are back on kitchen duty as we prepare to can more tomato sauce.  Lots of work but well worth it in the end.

Here's to starting the week off with a bang! Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you journey about.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

You can already tell it is going to be a hot and humid Friday here in the Carondelet Garden.  It's already a bit sticky out there.  The Coneflowers don't seem to mind.  They are still hanging in there in the middle of August.

It's a busy day for the #supercoololdpeople in Carondelet.  We are finished with the diaper drive and are heading out to deliver the booty.  The back of our SUV is filled to the brim and we are happy to help.  

The day is starting and there is work to be done.  I hope you have an amazing Friday.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It is a lovely morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The sun is shining, and the temperatures are pleasant for this Thursday in August.  It is nice to see the sunshine this morning.

We have been cleaning the raised beds where the onions and garlic were growing.  With the harvest in it is time to feed the soil.  We have planted our 'green manure' this year and have gone with 'Red Clover.'  It is incredibly fast to germinate and does a wonderful job of adding nutrients back into the soil.  Such a wonderful way to replenish the soils over the rest of summer and into the Fall.  

Today I am visiting an old friend for lunch.  Then we head out to pick up diapers for a diaper drive Dr. B is heading up. It's a good day to give back a little.  Did you know that baby diapers and feminine hygiene products are taxed as luxury items in the State of Missouri?  How incredibly cruel is that?  We've written our state rep and senator to let them know how we feel. 

I can't believe it almost the middle of August already!  I still have so much I want to accomplish this summer.  My Dad was right, time does move faster the older you get.  Time to get things going on this Thursday in Ordinary Time.  Be good and be kind today.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a cloudy, overcast morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  As I ventured out this morning to check on the slaughter of my heirloom tomatoes by the critters of the night, I discovered this little beautiful 'Big Rainbow' that was perfect.  I actually harvested this tomato from this plant and I'm over the moon.  It is a lovely thing to behold!  The heirlooms took a beating from the critters, but it did give them a distraction from the 'San Marzano' tomatoes which are our sauce tomatoes and we've been gifted a bumper crop this year! 

I don't know about you but the one of summer's greatest pleasures is a BLT with your own home-grown tomatoes and a beautiful basil Mayonnaise.  As a southerner there really is no substitute for @dukes_mayonnaise.  There is something special about the taste and with a bit of fresh basil as an extra kick of flavor.  My mouth is already watering!  Bring on lunch. 

The skies are cloudy, thunderstorms may be moving in this afternoon, the tomato is harvested, and lunch is already planned.  Life is good here in South Saint Louis.  I hope you get to enjoy the simple pleasures a bit today.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a bright, blue sky, sunshine filled morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  The flowers in the parterre are looking great after the recent rains.  The wonderful moisture from heaven filled with minerals and nitrogen perked everything up.  Grace in moisture form.

The Habanero peppers are in, and yesterday's cooler temperatures gave us the opportunity to create our yearly batch of hot pepper sauce.  It's a labor of love in the @carondeletkitchen and so worth it!  We fool around with the recipe every year, but this year's really seemed to hit the spot.  

This is a fun time of year to be an urban gardener.  A lot of things are happening.  So many plants in full flower.  The Mallos and Hibiscus seem to put out a new flower every day right now.  Grace does seem to be the only fitting word!  

I hope you have day filled with a bit of unexpected grace today.  It's beautiful outside.  The temperatures are amazing for August in Saint Louis.  Give yourself a little break and take a walk in a park or garden.  Meditate a little.  Pray a little.  My guess is you'll feel better for it.  It's exactly what I'm doing.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a mostly cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The humidity is down, and the temperatures are in the low 70s.  It's a nice reprieve from the earlier heat and the recent humidity.  A lovely beginning to the day.  I've even opened the windows for a bit of fresh air.

The 'Naked Ladies' or 'Surprise Lilies' have arrived here in the garden.  I remember the first time I noticed these lovelies in the garden.  I had never seen one before we moved here low those many years ago.  Our wonderful neighbor, Marie, told me they were 'naked ladies.' I always loved how she said it with a twinkle in here eye and a bit of a hushed whisper.  Marie was the matriarch of our little neighborhood.  Her dad built our house and her house and many others around us.  She lived in that house off and on for 100 years.  She passed a few years ago at 107.  Her memory lives on and on and on.  

It's good to remember sometimes.  The people who have touched our lives and our hearts.  Those who made a difference without ever really knowing how much they changed us.  The people who start out as neighbors, become friends and ultimately chosen family.  We are indeed lucky to have those memories and the current reality.  

It's a good day to remember. A good day to think about those special folks who are no longer with us.  A good day to appreciate the 'Surprise Lilies' in our lives.  It's a good day for a good day.  The beginning of a good week.  Take care of yourself and be kind.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

As we like to say in South Saint Louis, walking outside is like getting slapped in the face by a hot washcloth!  It is warm and muggy and humid and down-right yucky outside right now.  The plants are loving this weather.  The rains and the temperatures are really giving everything here in the garden a much-needed reprieve after the incredible heat wave of last week.  Maybe more rain this weekend?

The San Marzano Tomatoes have come in hot and heavy these past few weeks and both freezers are full, and we can't freeze any more so today we "do the jars!"  Dr. B has her canning stations setup and ready for the all-day tomato sauce festival that happens in the @carondeletkitchen every year.  My job is to peel the tomatoes.  It's hot work but I am, strangely, good at it.  We have developed a delicate dance in our cozy cottage kitchen.  Dr. B is a master cook and has this recipe down.  She creates a "master" sauce that can then be combined with other ingredients at the time of preparation.  It works beautifully and we love the touch of summer in January!

What are you doing with your tomatoes?  The harvest is huge this year here in the Carondelet Garden.  The squirrels and other critters don't seem to like the San Marzanos.  Thank goodness for that!  It's a good day for a good day.  Be good and kind to yourself and others as you travel about.  It's time to "do the jars!"  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a cloudy, humid morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The rains have, for the most part, moved out of the vicinity.  We did get a nice rain overnight without the storms and massive moisture predicted.  I'm not sure how the rest of the area faired but we had a lovely, steady rain overnight.  Things are looking pretty good in the Garden this morning. 

It's that time of year that we are cleaning out some of the beds where the veggies are done and it's time to do a little rehab work on the soil.  Even when it is empty, void of vegetation, the beds are waiting for things to be planted and grown.  There is work being done quietly and unseen.  Little bugs are breeding and eating.  Nature is doing its delicate little dance that leaves the soil richer and better, readying it for what comes next.  The "green manure" goes in.  This year we are trying Red Clover.  

We are entering the next phase of gardening.  The harvest is almost over for us.  The onions, potatoes, garlic, beans and peas are in.  The tomatoes are in their last throes of growth.  Next is the regeneration work for the next crop.  We've also planted more carrots for this fall.  Lots of good things happening.  Lots of hope going on right now.  Anticipating the good yet to come!

One of the joys of gardening and is the anticipation.  Gardening teaches us to anticipate the good yet to come.  What a wonderful way to see things.  Faith.  Hope.  Love. Gardening.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.  

It's a cloudy, rainy morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  It has been a wee, soft rain upon the flowers and vegetables and is most welcome on this second day of August.  We are still quite dry and could use the moisture.  Storms can stay away, thank you very much!

The electricity is fixed.  We now have power in the garden once again.  It's amazing how much you miss something when you are used to having it.  I have to be honest; it was a nuisance and inconvenience but definitely not the end of the world.  Yet, I really missed not being able to easily use any tool I wanted whenever I wanted.  All is well again here in the Carondelet Garden.  

We snapped a quick pic of our beautiful Tropical Hibiscus.  We over-wintered this beautiful plant for the first-time last year, and it is stunning.  So happy to have it back for another season.  Thank you to all of the Instagram gardeners who give such great advice and encouragement.  You guys are lifesavers!

I was able to spend several hours weeding yesterday.  In many ways I was weeding myself as well.  It's amazing how much bitterness and resentment can be weeded from your heart as you pull and dig and snip away in the garden.  You get that moment of quiet reflection and simply allow for a gentle, growing gratefulness to sprout instead of the negativity and "weediness."  

It's early August and the rains are still coming down.  We need the nourishment and gentle moisture.  Rain down on us, O Lord, and nourish our souls.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a bit overcast this morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  Possible thunderstorms are forecast for later this afternoon and into the overnight tonight.  We are still in need of the rain, but I am hoping for no terrible storms. I'm sure we have all had enough of the damage and destruction!

We have been huge fans of Hostas forever.  We recently spent the morning looking around the @mobotgarden and their amazing collection of hostas and saw the 'June' Hosta on display.  An award winner from the American Hosta Growers Association.  Of course, the hunt was on!  We found this beauty @greenscapegardens_stl and it is a gorgeous addition to our Hosta Garden.  

The electrician comes today to fix the outdoor electric.  The weeding will continue.  The rest of the potatoes will be harvested.  Tomatoes are still coming in hot and heavy.  It's going to be another busy day here in the garden.  It's a good day for a good day.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you journey about on this first day of August.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.