A Gardener's Diary

We had a beautiful snowfall the other day. It started mid-afternoon and lasted into the late evening. It was lovely. Just a quiet snow, big flakes, fluffy, that fell gently from the sky. No brazen winds or jaw-dropping temperatures. Without those tremendous winds, the snow was able to leave its mark on the land.

In the evening, I couldn’t resist going outside to take a peek. Greeting me was the 50-plus year old grapevine that I had dug up from our family home when my mother sold the house. It has made its way from Chicago, to Lancaster, PA; waited quietly in a terra cotta pot while our current home in Minnesota was being built in 1999-2000; and finally, with great hopes of a re-birth, planted ceremoniously along side our patio. It took root, and over the course of 20 years, intertwined itself amongst the bars of the railing surrounding the patio, creating a lace-work effect only nature could produce. Add snow and…

The next morning, the combination of snow and hoar frost covered everything.

The beauty remains, even on this gray morning — dusk turned upside-down. I hope the sun will come out today, even for a bit, to remind us that as this most unusual and difficult year comes to a close, there is hope for a bright and bountiful 2021.

I will take my cue from nature — the bees will continue to buzz, plants will grow and bloom, birds will feather their nests and new life will begin again in the Spring. I will take refuge in my gardens, like I always do, whether happy or sad, and keep my slice of heaven thriving.

Happy New Year! May it be blessed with happiness and joy!