Hey there, Rural Sprout readers, Can you believe weāre almost through January 2023? Itās nuts! Time goes by faster every
year. Iām told this is what happens when you get older. Notice, I said older, not old. I have this mental picture of the sweetheart and me in our 90s saying, āCan you believe the year went so fast? Where did I leave my teeth?ā Of course, our memories will be shot at that point, and for all weāll know, it will still be January 2023. At least it will be to us.
So, letās hope itās a good year. I had this
whole other newsletter half typed up dealing with the January Blues that seem to settle in on many of us this time of year. But as I read through it, I kept thinking, āWow, this is depressing. Do I want to inflict this on our readers?ā No. No, I donāt. Thatās what the delete button is for. Yes, winter reaches a point in January that is almost moribund. But weāre gardeners. We have shiny new seed catalogs and heat mats
for seedlings. And grow lights. And recycled toilet paper tubes with tiny, little green seedlings that will yield tomatoes come July! And thatās enough to get anyone through the winter doldrums, which got me thinking about how cool gardening is.
Itās new every single year. We start each season with a clean slate. And more often than not, with new seeds to try. Or perhaps a new method of growing a favorite
veggie. Weāre constantly making adjustments from what we did the previous year. Itās pretty exciting as far as hobbies go. Who knows, maybe this will even be the year when the weather and rainfall are perfect, and this is the growing season we talk about for the rest of our lives. āHoney, remember the green zebra tomatoes we grew in the summer of 2023? Man, they were good. Where are my teeth?ā Thereās so much promise at the start of each new growing season. Even before it gets here, we reap the benefits of new growth or at least the thought of it. Weāre lost in the green world of our perfect garden, waiting to spring forth in another month or two. So, when those gray January skies start to press in on you. Grab your favorite seed catalog, and get lost in the bright, shiny new growing season ahead of
us.
|
|
Going no-dig with raised beds is easy to do, they were made to go together.
|
|
|
|
|
This one is worth the read just for Cheryl's beautiful photos of her cozy home in Romania. Who wants to go visit?
|
|
|
|
|
This fragrant shrub will be the first to flower in your yard each spring.
|
|
|
|
|
So, about that oft-cited NASA study...
|
|
|
Did you miss a newsletter or want to go back and read a few for inspiration - Click this link. Don't forget to check out our Facebook page for daily updates. That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers.
|
|
Sincerely, Tracey Besemer Editor Rural Sprout
|
|
|
|
