You were the first vote I ever cast for President of the United States.  You were the embodiment of a good man and a good citizen.  You made a difference to so many people, not just in this country but around the world.  You were a hero to me and to so many.  Go rest high upon that mountain, Mr. President.  You deserve the welcome awaiting you in heaven.

Not a bad beginning to this mid-Month Wednesday here in the Carondelet Garden.  There is a still a bit of green left in the parterre garden.  The skies are cloudy, but we may see a bit of clearing by this afternoon.  The highs will not get much warmer than right now in the mid 40s.  A nice day for December in South Saint Louis

We are slipping into wintering.  The days are continuing to get shorter with the darkness of night lasting longer but we know the Winter Solstice is at hand.  Hope is on the horizon.  I like what Katherine May says about Winter:  "More than any other season, winter requires a kind of metronome that ticks away its darkest beat, giving us a melody to follow into Spring!"  A bit of hope for today.

I am growing ever more tired of the absolutes, the extremes, and the angriness of this age.  The answer we all need right now is more kindness, compromise and balance.  A bit of hope that tomorrow will be just a little bit better than today.  A bit of hope to hang our hats on.  Hope!

Here's to ending this year with a bit of kindness.  A bit of love.  A little faith.  Hope!  Be good to yourself today.  Be kind to yourself.  Be kind to others.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's wet and unseasonably warm here in the Carondelet Garden on this Third Monday in Advent.  The rains will be moving on in a few hours and the clouds will give way to a few rays of sun by this afternoon, hopefully!  Low 60s for a high on this mid-December day.

The cold weather at the beginning of the month has pretty much taken care of all of the Hostas for this year.  They will lay dormant and return triumphantly in the Spring.  Now we wait.  That's really what Advent is all about really... waiting.  When I was a little kid, it was waiting for the excitement of Santa coming and what would I get this year.  Today, it is still waiting but waiting for something more.  

This past Sunday was Gaudate Sunday.  Gaudate means "Rejoice!"  We've been waiting in the darkness but the end is coming.  The light will return.  If you have an Advent candle this week is the Rose candle.  A symbol of hope in a time of waiting.  The waiting will soon come to an end as the light of the world will soon arrive.  

The light will also begin to change by the end of the week and the beginning of the Winter solstice.  The shortest day of the year will give way to the slow return of light and the promise of Spring.  We wait in Hope with Faith that the light will come! I admit I am ready for the changeover and the lengthening of the daylight.  

Rejoice is sometimes hard for some of us this time of year.  Loss, sadness, weariness, and depression can sap our faith and leave us feeling a bit hopeless.  Reach out to someone who may be alone right now.  A text, an email, or better yet a handwritten note of encouragement.  Maybe even an old-fashioned phone call.  We can be the hope someone needs right now.  A little hope, a bit of faith and as much love as we have.  That's all the news from the Carondelet Garden.

It is dark and cold outside in the Carondelet Garden on this second Friday in Advent.  It was much nicer earlier as we headed out to one of our favorite places:  Sandy Creek Covered Bridge.  Miss Bonny Doon was in heaven as we wandered around the area.  Today the temperatures are much cooler with cloudy skies and highs in the low 40s this afternoon.  Looks like quite a bit of rain for the weekend but warmer temperatures. 

Advent is the season of waiting.  The season of hope and of expectation.  The days are growing ever darker as we wait for the light of the world to come.  I am thinking now about what it is that I hope for this Advent season?  I am honestly praying for future that may be filled with Hope.  Renew my Faith and grant me Love for others, for myself, for my Creator.  Faith, Hope and Love are my prayers this Advent.

What are your hopes for this season?  Are you waiting for the light or overcome with darkness?  Maybe we can pray for Hope together.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a chilly start to the day here in the Carondelet Garden.  Even with the snow and the freezing temperatures, the English Tea Roses are still looking beautiful in the parterre garden.  The chill will be leaving us as we see a small warming trend over the next few days.  Today should be a carbon copy of yesterday with some clouds and sun mixed and highs in the upper 30s.

This time of year, brings all sorts of things:  the shortest day of the year, darkness, snow, rain, sleet, clouds, spring-like temperatures, and everything in between.  No matter whether you love this time of year or loathe it, it is here so let's make the best of it because the moaning and groaning isn't helping.  Believe me, I've tried! One of the things that always seems to lift my mood is to head outdoors and do whatever I can in the garden.  It refreshes the soul and may even help with the result of that extra Christmas cookie.

We are actually ahead of the curve on our Christmas shopping this year.  We are anxiously awaiting a few more deliveries, but barring anything unforeseen, we should be on track.  The decorations are hung by the chimney with care and our new little Doodle Dog has decided to behave around the tree.  I will take the win!  Here's to the second week of Advent.  May we wait in darkness for the coming light of the world.  Hold on to the hope, keep the faith and share some love. It will help all of us in the long run.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's dark and incredibly mild outside in the Carondelet Garden on this second Monday in Advent.  I know the snow and ice are long gone but I love this picture so much.  It looks like Winter to me.  Today won't feel like Winter as we reach temperatures in the mid to upper 50s under cloudy skies.  No worries, as Winter is returning later this week.

A bit of a slow start for the old gardener this morning.  The arthritic knee is giving me a bit more trouble than normal.  Feeling the age as they say.  Enjoying some coffee and listening to some beautiful music and I hear this story about Igor Stravinsky.  It seems the great composer was asked a question for his 80th birthday:  What does it feel like to be 80?  The composers looked puzzled and replied, "I don't know what you mean, it's just another day for music."

Another day for music.  Music can be sensed in so very many ways:  a child's laughter, a cardinal on a snow branch, the cadence of well-told joke.  The music is a all around us if we take the time to be aware of it, and don't waste our time worrying about the trivial things.  Another day for music.  

Another day here in the Carondelet Garden.  A little faith, a bit of hope and as much love as we can scrape together on this second Monday in Advent.  Take the time to listen for the music of your life.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.  

The sun is shining on this first Friday morning in December.  It's a bit cold outside in the Carondelet Garden but the temperatures will get into the low 40s by this afternoon.  The sun should be hanging around all day.  Not a bad way to end the week at all!

Today is a kind of Memorial Day for us as we make our annual pilgrimage to dress the gravesites of our parents.  It's something we've done every year for almost twenty years now.  It's a bit melancholy but it is also a good time to remember the good things and laugh at the funny stories.  This year we will have our little Doodle Dog to accompany us on our trip.  She's a very good travelling companion.  

It's a good day for a good day.  Be kind to yourself and others as you journey about on this Friday.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's still quite dark here in the Carondelet Garden on this first Wednesday in Advent.  The weather is changing today as the sun returns and the highs should reach well into the 50s.  The perfect day for a little Winter cleanup after our first big freeze of the season.

I admit I am a morning person.  I do enjoy this early morning darkness with the quiet that accompanies it.  The world hasn't quite awakened.  The streets are mostly empty and there is a eerie silence that is not found very often in an urban area. A good time to listen to the pretty.

A little work today, a little play this evening as we head out to the Hill Antique Market for their Holiday Extravaganza!  It's a fun way to look at some antiques and visit some makers from around the area.  Hopefully we can check off a few more Christmas gifts along the way.  

Shop local.  Support makers.  Support local artists.  It's good for everyone.  

Be good to yourself and kind to others as you are busy about this Wednesday in December.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.

It's a magical Monday morning here in the Carondelet Garden.  Light snow is drifting down in the cold, dark morning.  It's 26-degrees and only going up to 30-degrees by this afternoon.  The clouds will stick around but don't expect much snow.  Although it is a lovely beginning to the first week of Advent.

"Oh the first snowfall of the winter
Was a day that we all waited for
When it drifted to and fro
Why you should've seen the snow."

One of my favorite Bing Crosby songs at this time of year and it was quite appropriate for Saturday.  It was the perfect snow as we did receive a bit of accumulation, but it didn't really stick to the streets or sidewalk.  It made Shop Small Saturday pretty magical.  Our maker friends said it didn't really hurt business, and some said they even saw an increase.  

It's the first week of Advent.  A time of waiting and darkness.  Today is such a perfect way to embody that very thing.  We wait in darkness for the coming light.  We oftentimes forget that the light will come, especially when we are in the darkest valley.  The deep holes are the hardest to climb out of.  This time of year is so celebrated for joy and happiness but so many of us suffer from a bit of melancholy and even depression during the holidays.  The days are short and the darkness seems to last forever.  Yet, we keep the faith that the light is coming.  The darkness will not last.  

This is the time of year when we need faith and hope more than ever.  But Love is the best answer.  We are loved.  We don't always believe it, but it is true.  We are loved, just the way we are.  We don't even have to do anything for our Creator to love us.  That, in and of itself, is a miracle.  As the old Helzberg Diamonds button used to say, "I am Loved!"  

It's the first week of Advent.  It's snowing outside.  There is a bit of peace and quiet descending on the city street outside my window.  The coffee is ready.  The fire is burning briskly in the old fireplace.  The Doodle is asleep in Momma's chair.  A little faith, a bit of hope, and some fur baby love this Monday morning.  That's all the news from here in the Carondelet Garden.