There is definitely frost on the pumpkin on this All Hallows Eve morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The weather folks have been nailing the forecast these past few days.  The freeze has arrived and, for once, this old gardener was mostly prepared.

Today is a fun day for the #supercoololdpeople as we head out to pick up one of our favorite people in the whole world for a day of adventure and fun.  Heading to the St. Louis Aquarium and Wheel and then to Boo at the Zoo.  A fun day all around.

Here's to a Happy and Safe Halloween everyone.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you journey about on this All Hallows Eve.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

Baby, it's cold outside in the Carondelet Garden on this last Monday of October.  The freeze that we have been expecting happened as predicted.  It was cold and it's going to be cold again tonight and tomorrow night.  It looks like the changeover is really starting to happen.  

That big, old hydrangea put up quite a fight a few weeks ago but this is the result.  It is finally gone, and we have a large open space to contemplate over the Winter.  One of the great graces of growing older is that I can begin to let go of things without guilt. Growing older is truly about letting go of the unnecessary baggage so that we are prepared for what comes next. 

October is coming to an end and November is right around the corner which is the beginning of the holiday season for many of us.  It's a time of joy and celebration but also a time of mystery and sadness for so many of us.  We have lost so many in November over the years.  The memories bring comfort but also a bit of melancholy to the season.  

Be good and be kind to those around you in this Thin Season. While many are in the mood to celebrate and be merry.  Many others are hurting and feeling a bit lost.  Be kind.  Be kind to yourself as well.  We all deserve a bit of kindness, especially right now.  The sun is shining, and the air is brisk.  A good day for another cup of coffee and crossword puzzle.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a lovely morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The skies are cloudy, and the temperatures are in the upper 60s.  Fall is in the air and frost is in the forecast.  There's a change in the weather to be sure.

It's the time to make sure your perennials and trees have a good drink of water.  Today would be a great day to empty those watering hoses and coil them up while they are still flexible.  I've already unhooked mine from the waterspout and covered the outside connection with a bit of insulation for the cold months of Winter yet to come.  Hello Fall! 
 
Today feels a bit like borrowed time.  We know the heavy frosts are coming any day, so these days in the garden are precious as gold.  The leaves are definitely showing their colors.  It's a stunning sight to see the bursts of colors floating down like rain.  You can feel Autumn in the evenings now.  There is a hint of something special hanging in the evening air.  

I've spoken of this time of year as being a Thin Time and I believe it is.  You feel the closeness of heaven and earth in late October and early November.  Memories and dreams feel more alive to this old gardener.  Maybe I'm just an old man but it does remind us that we are never truly alone.  Comfort and Grace when we need it the most.

There's a bit of work to be done on this last Friday in October.  A few last-minute chores to accomplish before the big changes take place.  We've been preparing for this moment.  I think we are almost ready.  Be good to yourself and kind to others on this last weekend of October.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a cloudy, mild morning here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  We had a few showers yesterday and overnight but look forward to some more as the day continues.  We are still quite dry and the heavenly moisture is most welcome here in Missouri.

We had a fun day @mobotgarden yesterday listening to a lovely talk on "Gardening Can Be Murder."  So many murder mysteries were set in and around gardens and gardening.  Take a look at your tool box some time and you can easily imagine death and mayhem!

Another busy day for the #supercoololdpeople.  Heading out to help with the Rotary Young Citizens program this afternoon.  Then haircuts and finally "Thirsty Thursday" happy hour.  A full day of fun and celebration.

Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you travel about this Ordinary Thursday in October.  Can you believe it is the last Thursday in October?  Make it a good day!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's raining here in the Carondelet Garden on this cloudy Wednesday morning.  We NEED the moisture.  It is such a welcome gift right now.  The forecast looks like the rains will move in and out over the next several days bringing the relief we are so desperate for.  Grace in the form of liquid sunshine.

The #supercoololdcouple have a busy day ahead of them.  Several errands and a lecture to attend later this morning.  We never sit idle for long, that is for sure.

Grateful for the rains. Grateful for a beautiful Wednesday morning. Grateful for the grace given to me, freely given, and underserved.  Be good and be kind to yourself this humpday in October.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

The skies are cloudy above the Carondelet Garden this Tuesday morning.  It's going to be a warm one today with highs in the low 80s later this afternoon.  The forecast is calling for some rain over the next few days.  I am hopeful!  We need the heavenly moisture.  We have been unusually dry this Fall season.  

I mow the grass this time of year until it is too wet to do so.  I try to leave the plants in the borders and try not to cut things back unless it is in very bad shape because the birds and other little critters love the seedheads.  The slightly unsightly decline is simply part of the beauty to this old gardener.  There will be plenty of time come this Spring to spruce things up a bit.  Until then, feast away my wildlife friends!

Fall is a wonderful time to recognize the gifts given to us every single day.  It is a time to be thankful, more grateful for the abundance we have.  It is a time to savor what happens in this simple, ordinary life in such a way that the ordinary becomes extraordinary!  One thing I've learned is that grateful people are, by and large, happier people.  The gift of gratitude.  A bit of grace on this Tuesday morning.

It's a good day to say thank you to someone who matters.  Let someone know that you see them and are thankful for them in your life.  Be good and be kind on this Tuesday in October.  I saw a woman with a shirt on yesterday that read:  HUMAN KIND: Be both!  Amen!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a brisk, cool start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden in South Saint Louis.  The skies are sunny with bright, blue skies and a few puffy, white clouds thrown in for visual interest.  It looks to be a stunning Fall Day with highs in the mid to upper 70s. 

The bright red bird feeder out in the back garden hanging on our Dogwood tree has been getting a lot of action these past few days.  I guess I really am an old man gardener as I can spend a ridiculous amount of time just watching the birds flying in and out.  You know it's official when you start buying books to identify the birds in your backyard.  

We had a wonderful weekend with our visit to the #SLSO this past weekend.  A glorious concert featuring Mendelsohn's 'Scottish' symphony.  Incredible performance from the symphony and a tour de force by the amazing Elim Chin as conductor.  

​Here's to a new week filled with wonder and grace.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you travel about.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

The skies are sunny in the Carondelet Garden on this Friday morning in October.  The rest of the day looks to be amazing with highs in the low 70s.  What a perfect day to finish up some gardening chores on this beautiful Fall Day.

The Mums that I had to move a few weeks ago are looking amazing.  I was a little worried about them because of the timing of the move and, honestly, not sure where I was going to put them.  They seem to love it and I love seeing the rust-colored blossoms every morning on my walkabout through the garden.

It's Friday folks.  Weekend eve has arrived.  Here's to a beautiful week and the anticipation of a wonderful weekend.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you enjoy this amazing Fall season.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.
​

It's a cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden on this Ordinary Thursday in October.  The clouds should thin out later this morning and a bit of sunshine for the afternoon hours with highs close to 70 degrees.  A perfect Fall Day in South Saint Louis.  

The mulching of the side garden is finished and looking quite good.  Pretty happy with the final result.  We thinned the Hostas in the back yard.  This Hosta patch was put in almost immediately after we first moved in with some transplants from Dr. B's parents' home in Webster Groves.  They have proliferated and they needed to be thinned again.  This happens about every five years or so.  They obviously like it where they are planted.  A lovely reminder and memory of Dr. B's mom and dad and their love of gardening.  

We will finish the mulching project today with the rest of the back garden getting a Winter bed turndown.  Another trip to our friends @greenscapegardens_stl for some more mulch is needed.  I think I need to get a truck!   This trip should do it.  I always think my little urban garden area is so tiny until it's time to mulch then it seems to grow exponentially!

It's a beautiful day.  The coffee is made.  Music is playing on the radio.  The newspapers have arrived so it's time to read a bit, do a few puzzles, and get my head wrapped around the chores for today.  It's a good day for a good day.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you head out to confront this Thursday.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A cool start to the morning here in the Carondelet Garden as the temperatures struggle to reach the lower 50s.  The skies are blue with a few puffy, white clouds and it looks to be an absolutely stunning day.  The 'Cherokee Chief' Dogwood is letting me know, in no uncertain terms, that Fall has arrived.  The picture doesn't do the red leaves justice.  A glorious site in the back garden to be sure.

We picked up the mulch we needed to finish the side garden yesterday so today is the day.  A bit of work to do but excited to finally get the side beds put under their Winter blanket.  The garlic and shallots are planted in the back bed with one new bed of garlic waiting to plant.  While Fall can seem like the end of the gardening season, for some things it is only the beginning.

What is your favorite kind of garlic to plant and use in the kitchen?  Softneck or Hardneck? Do you have a particular variety that you love?  I tried Music Garlic last year with so-so results.  Inchellium Red is my go-to for this year.  I do love garlic, so any garlic is good garlic for this old gardener.

They say that once gardening takes ahold of you, it won't let you go.  Gardeners hold the very essence of their gardens within their hearts.  Even as Fall sets in with the ending of many of our favorite blooming plants and the coming of the darkness that is the Winter season. our garden is still our place of comfort and nourishment.  The Creator gives us the garden to care for as it cares for us.  Grace, undeserved but welcome!

The mulching, the digging, the planting and adding compost to the beds of garlic, it is an earthy time with those rich aromas that remind you it is Fall.  Falling leaves in a rich assortment of colors add an ethereal beauty to the garden.  It's a thin moment when heaven and earth get really close, and you can almost feel the connection between them.  Fall is a time where a bit of faith and hope is necessary as you plant and pray.  Add a bit of love and life just gets a bit better! 

It may be 40-degrees out in the Carondelet Garden on this Ordinary Tuesday in October, but the Mallo doesn't seem to be bothered by the chill.  This lovely plant is still blooming.  Another bit of grace on a brisk Fall morning.

As usual my math skills are not quite up to the task, and I miscalculated the amount of mulch I would need to finish the side garden.  Another trip to our friends @greenscapegardens_stl to pick up some more is on the schedule for this morning.  The triple ground mulch is beautiful, and things are moving along.  A trip to the garden center is never a bad thing!

It's furnace check day at the old Carondelet Cottage this morning.  It's a twice yearly ritual for our friends from Degenhardt Heating and Cooling to show up to check the furnace in the Fall and the Air Conditioner in the Spring.  As a good friend once said, "If you take care of your home, your home will take care of you!"  True words from a wise man. 

It's time to get to work for this old gardener.  Be good and be kind to yourself on the chilly October day.  It looks to be a stunning afternoon in the upper 60s and sunshine.  "Heaven came down and glory filled my soul" as the old hymn would say.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a chilly start to the morning here in the Carondelet Garden on this Ordinary Monday in October.  The old thermometer reads about 41-degrees.  A bit chilly to be sure.  If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to bring those fragile container plants under cover for the Winter season.  Our tropical plants are already nestled into their warm homes, so we are ready for the possibility of frost.

The red Petunias are still looking quite good after being planted way back in late April.  They have been plucked, pruned and fertilized over the last few months and the work has paid off.  The beauties are quite hardy and can withstand a soft frost with no issues so we should be able to enjoy them for several more weeks.

It was a busy weekend for the #supercoololdpeople.  We had our annual Apple Butter festival with former neighbors who are truly family to us.  What a gift to have these amazing people and now their lovely children in our lives.  A blessing indeed!

This week is a busy one here in the Garden.  The mulch has arrived for the side garden and that means the heavy lifting begins for this old gardener in South Saint Louis.  It's a good day for a good day.  Here's a bit of faith, hope and love being sent your way.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a cloudy, cool start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden.  The rain is expected to begin later this morning, so the morning chores are going to get an earlier start than normal.  The old gardener normally eases into the heavy lifting but today will be an exception.

These Petunias were plants in early Spring along with a bunch of others in the border garden as fillers.  The other Petunias sputtered out as expected but this one bunch have hung in and are as beautiful as ever.  I am so impressed and blessed by their grace.  Love waking up and picking up the newspaper and witnessing this bit of beauty every morning.

Time to get to work.  It's a good day for a good day as they say.  Be good and be kind to yourself on this weekend eve.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A beautiful, brisk Fall morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The rains of yesterday are gone, and the skies are filled with sunshine, blue skies and white puffy clouds.  Nothing more beautiful than a little Pansy lifting its fantastic face toward the sunshine.  A good morning indeed.

Today I have the honor of helping with the Rotary Police Awards at the Missouri Athletic Club downtown.  Every year they honor police officers from the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department for their bravery and commitment to a better Saint Louis.  We have all heard the bad stories, but we have to remember there are so many more good stories that never get told.  Today, we get to honor the good stories.  I enjoy putting the presentation together knowing that good people are celebrated.  

Saint Louis is a great place filled with amazing people.  I hope we can get back to the point where we can celebrate the good things while making positive changes fixing the bad things.  We can often be our own worst critic but there is so much good here!  We will see so much of it this afternoon as we walk around Francis Park at the Tower Grove Farmers Market at Rockwell Beer Garden.  What an amazing gift we have in the Farmers Market.  Filled with artists, artisans, craftspeople, farmers and makers.  Truly, the best of the best and so many have become friends.  

It is truly a good day for a good day.  Be good and be kind on your journey.  The weekend is almost upon us.  A little faith, a dose of hope, and all the love we can manage will change things for the better on this simple, ordinary Thursday in October.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a wet Wednesday out in the Carondelet Garden this morning.  I'm glad I took a moment to capture this pic earlier this week as it is dark and wet outside right now.  We do need the heavenly moisture so there is no complaints from this old gardener.

Quick start to the day today.  Heading out the door for my visit to the eye doctor to get the old cataracts checked out.  They aren't quite cooked enough to remove yet, but we might find out differently today.  They don't bother me too much except at night.  Poor Dr. B has become my nighttime chauffeur.  Of course, she never complains about it!

Heres' to a good day.  Be careful as you journey about on the slick roads this morning.  Should be a beautiful afternoon.  Be good to yourself and kind as well.  You deserve it!  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a chilly start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden.  The sun is shining, and the skies are blue but there is that Fall briskness that is so welcoming this time of year.  A bit of a BRRRR and a feeling of happiness at the cooler weather and all the fun and activities that Autumn brings.

The leaves on the trees are beginning to change to a tapestry of oranges, yellows, reds and brown.  There is that feeling of change in the air.  A bit of melancholy at the loss mixed with the waiting for something new to happen.  Every day there is something different to witness in the garden.  A bit of grace here and there with more work to be done over in that corner.  

That big, old, tired Hydrangea is finally out.  She put up quite a struggle for this old gardener and I'm paying the price with the aches and pains of my old knees and hip screaming a bit today.  As always, it was worth it to see the opening where it was and dreaming of the possibilities yet to come.  We will do a bit of running around today and try to nurse my old bones a bit.  Excited for the changes we've made and dreaming of what will come!

The garden is really a reflection of my life.  A bit of grace, some faith and hope, surrounded by love.  A work in progress that is constantly moving and changing.  A bit of sadness and sorrow are thrown in on occasion.  Some pain and suffering thrown in there as well.  Yet there is always grace.  Grace unearned but always present.  Grace that tells me I am cherished even when I am at my worst.  A simple, ordinary grace.

Here's to a bit of faith, hope and love in all of our lives this Tuesday in Ordinary Time.  Be good and be kind to yourself and others as you make your journey.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

A beautiful, brisk beginning to the Monday morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  The Digitalis or 'Foxglove' is looking exquisite in the early morning hours.  What a gift to walk outside and be greeted by the glory of creation.  A wonderful reminder to take a moment to stop and think and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us.

This week is all about garden rehab on the west side of the garden.  I have to admit I often neglect this little wonder because it is mostly maintenance free, but it has grown a bit wild and untamed and is now in need of a little TLC.  Maybe even a lot of TLC.  I have to remove an old, tired Hydrangea and I have to admit I'm not looking forward to it.  It is huge and wild and it's going to take it out of this old gardener.  Yet it must be done!

The perfect day for gardening.  The weather is cooperating, and the time is now.  Here's to a new week filled with the glory of Fall.  Be good and be kind to yourself as you journey about this Monday in October.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

The bright sunshine and blue skies are beautiful this morning.  There is a slight fall chill in the air that gladdens the heart of this old gardener.  There is some major rehab work that needs to be done on the side garden and I've been waiting for this cool front to tackle the heavy lifting and it has finally arrived.  The work will begin on Monday for today we play!  It's opening day for the Best of Missouri Market @mobotgarden!

You know the saying "you only know a plant when you've killed it twice."  I now know 'Cordyline Red Star' quite well as I have killed two of them in my container plants over the past month.  As you can see the plant was beautiful when purchased but I managed to kill them both.  I thought the sunshine they received in the planter boxes was enough, obviously I was wrong.  Poor things may they rest in peace.  I can hear the lyrics from "Little Shop of Horrors" playing in my head: "I've given you sunshine.  I've given you dirt.  You've given me nothing, but heartache and hurt!"  

It's a busy weekend with lots of fun and adventure awaiting the #supercoololdpeople in Carondelet.  Here's to a bit of joy and wonder in our world.  Be good and be kind as you journey about this weekend.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a misty, cloudy morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  I took this picture of our lovely Hosta 'Tootie Mae' the other day because I loved the sunlight bouncing off the leaves.  The days are starting to get shorter, and the hostas will soon go dormant, so I have to enjoy the show while it lasts!

October always feels a bit like borrowed time because the frosts could come any day.  Each day is precious and filled with grace for this old gardener.  Putting the garden to bed for the coming Winter has been on our chore list these past few days. 

I tend to never take anything out of the border garden or cut things back in October unless it is diseased or ill as the birds and other critters love the dried seedheads and the slightly unruly decline is part of the beauty of the garden.  I wait to tidy up in late Winter and early Spring.  For now, we are enjoying watching the birds enjoying themselves!

It's a busy few days for the #supercoololdpeople here in Carondelet.  There are birthdays, anniversary celebrations for friends, soccer games and even the ballet.  We will welcome the Sabbath this week for the rest it brings.

Be good and be kind to yourself as this week draws to a close.  Take a bit of extra care as you travel about on the wet streets.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden

​Another flip of the calendar and Autumn is in the air. October is always my gardening new year.  Time to take stock, plan, prepare and start again.  It’s an earthy time with the smells of fresh mulch, worm castings, and falling leaves sifting through the air like wood smoke.
 
As Autumn begins there are butterflies wafting through the garden like flying flowers.  Butterflies are so easy to love as they pause to sip at a plant’s nectar, before flitting off to another while performing their delicate little dance.  They add another layer and dimension of color and delight to the Carondelet Garden.
 
Happiness for this old gardener is always close at hand.

A beautiful, blue-sky kind of morning here in the Carondelet Garden this first Tuesday of October.  The sunshine and heat have returned to South Saint Louis and that means early morning watering of container plants and my slowly growing, rehabbed lawn in the back yard.  The work of a gardener never ends.  Thank goodness for that!

In Autumn we think of things growing older and beginning the end of their life cycle.  We see the leaves beginning to change.  The last butterfly has left, and their beauty is missed.  Yet, as I grow ever older, I realize that my best friend is reality.  Not theology, or ideology, not what "should be" as much as "what is."  I've come to believe that our Creator came to give us a truth that sets us free, not an authority that would do all of our homework for us.  

I've also come to believe that fixed somewhere between a simple, ordinary happiness and mystical ecstasy there is a sense of total, and utter, completeness that lives in a garden.  A feeling that never really leaves me.  A feeling that I get every time I go outside and experience the beauty of creation.

I hope you get the opportunity to experience a bit of beauty on the Tuesday morning.  A bit of grace on your journey.  A little faith, a renewed hope and the gift of love is the answer to the problems we face.  It is a bit simplistic, but there is a deep truth as well.  Be good to yourself and kind to others you may meet along the way.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a summer-like day here in the Carondelet Garden with afternoon temperatures rising to near 90-degrees.  The skies are blue with light, white clouds floating about.  A gorgeous morning to begin the first week of October.  Where did this year go?  I blinked and September was gone.

October is my gardening new year.  This is my time to take stock, plan, prepare and start again.  It's an earthy time with the smells of mulch, worm castings and falling leaves sifting through the air like wood smoke.  You know the firepit will be lit soon with long evenings filled with good wine and conversation.  

Welcome to October and the new year of gardening.  Enjoy the daily, changing show of color and contrast as the days and nights begin their switching of places and the darkness lengthens and daylight decreases.  It's a thoughtful time and a bit of a thin place.  Heaven and earth are a bit closer during this time as we travel through toward All Hallow's Eve and All Souls and All Saints Days.  It can be a bit melancholy at times, but memories and stories can lift us.  

I hope we can all get outside and enjoy the kaleidoscope that is Autumn in Saint Louis.  Be good to yourself and kind as you travel along this Monday.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.