December
20, 2000
Snow,
Solstice, Santa...
Well the good news is that Winter has officially
arrived! What a relief. The weather has been so
pleasant of late that I have been sitting around wishing for some
snow and some much colder weather. "A bit of
sarcasm?" you might ask. All I want to know is,
"What is with this weather?" It was brought to my
attention the other day by my mother that the temperatures in
Alaska are presently warmer than they are here! Hmmm, a
move might be in order.
Now that I
have that out of my system I can write about more important
matters. Christmas - just five days away! As I
reflect on this past year and things that I am thankful for these
come to mind:
- My
Husband Kevin - It is not easy being married to me but he
does it so effortlessly! He is handsome, caring, intelligent
and is the most important person in my life.
- My
Children, Morgan, Noah & Jake - I cannot imagine what
my life would be without these three children. Morgan is
quickly turning into such a young woman and the boys get
taller everyday. Of course I now have several strands of
gray hair thanks to them but every strand is worth
it.
- Our
Readers - without you there would be no us.
- Our
Sponsors - A big thanks to these people for believing in
what we do and supporting our efforts.
A big
thanks to all of you who sent me well wishes on my
birthday! I had a terrific day and it was partly due to all
of you.
If you are
traveling this holiday season stay safe and may God bless you and
your families!
Merry
Christmas!
~
Shelly
Why It's
Called A Blanket Of Snow...
Believe it or not that snow covering your garden beds is
quite a blessing during this ultra-cold weather. Fluffy and light,
freshly fallen snow is an excellent insulator. Its millions of
tiny air pockets hold warmth in the soil around snow-covered
plants. So when the air temperature falls near zero (and
below) your white blanketed garden beds are a relatively toasty
32 degrees. That added protection may be the difference
between death and survival for plants of borderline hardiness.
Illuminating
Houseplant Help...
To keep your houseplants healthy you may need to compensate for the short days and long nights of
winter. Try moving them closer to windows but make sure their foliage doesn't actually touch the cold window.
Supplemental lighting is another option. Light units containing
special grow lights can be purchased from mail-order companies or
at garden centers. You can also build your own lighting
structure. A standard fluorescent unit containing one cool white
40 watt tube and one warm white 40 watt tube provides adequate
light for most houseplants. Plants should be placed within 6 to 12
inches of the lights for maximum benefit.
Source
Plants Mite
Need A Bath...
Most homes in winter become dry as bone meal. Keep an eye out for spider mites on your houseplants - they
thrive in that dry air. Females lay about 200 eggs and the
life cycle may be completed in just 7 days. Do the math -
it gets ugly fast!
At the first sign of
any insect infestation,
isolate your plant. Several thorough washings with soapy water
(two teaspoons of mild detergent to a gallon of water) should bring them under control.
Great
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The
Magic Of Mistletoe...
Mistletoe is easily one of my favorite seasonal
traditions. A parasitic
plant with white berries, it is one of the most sacred plants in European folklore. It was once considered a bestower of life
and fertility. A good mistletoe crop foretold Welsh farmers a
good crop for the upcoming season. Mistletoe was also thought to
help individuals who had problems bearing children. Mistletoe has
long been a symbol with both magical powers and medical
properties. Mistletoe from sacred oaks was especially precious to
ancient Celtic Druids. It was gathered at both mid-summer and
winter solstices for indoor decoration. Mistletoe was so sacred
to the Druids that if two enemies were to meet under it, they had
to lay down their weapons and observe a truce until the following
day.
The name mistletoe came
from a mistake made long ago. In ancient times it was observed
that mistletoe would often arise on tree branches where birds had
left droppings. This led to the misguided belief that mistletoe was
propagated spontaneously from bird droppings. Mistel is the
Anglo-Saxon
word for "dung" and tan is the word for
"twig". Hence, mistletoe means "dung-on-a-twig".
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe began in England.
It
was believed that kissing under the mistletoe increased the
possibility of marriage in the upcoming year. After every kiss, a
berry was removed from the bunch and discarded. When the berries
were gone, the kissing would stop.
Source
For The
Birds...
I hope you are sharing your garden with the birds. They
make great caretakers when insects abound and are just fun to
watch this time of year. But all this snow on the ground
makes it particularly difficult for them to forage for
food. Bring out your bird feeders and stock them with seed for
the birds. Bread crumbs, popcorn, and other treats
scattered on the snow will be much appreciated. Remember to provide fresh water for your feathered
friends too!
Winter
Wisdom...
Last week's US Supreme Court decision effectively bringing
this year's presidential election to a close was one for the
record books. I think we'll all remember it for some
time. It's amazing the issues the courts get wrapped up
with. Even gardening hasn't escaped the eye of the
high court. The age-old question of whether tomatoes are a
vegetable or a fruit was actually resolved (legally anyway) by
the US Supreme Court over 150 years ago. Read about it in this
week's Winter
Wisdom...
A
Supporting Role...
If you are using guy wires around newly planted trees make
sure hose sections (or other protection) are still covering the
supporting wires or ropes. Without sufficient protection
the recent windy weather could cause a young tree's bark to be
stripped away by bare wire or rope.
Finally... "At
Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's newfangled mirth;
But like each thing that in season grows." ~
William Shakespeare |