December at my house

Happy holidays my garden loving friends! Are you ready? Somehow it will all get done, and all will be well. If you are stressed out, take a deep breath, and try to let go of something that doesn't really need to be done. Personally, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. My holiday preparation is minimal actually, and has left me time to complete a few handmade gifts. I always intend to do this, but this time I actually did, and I'm pleased with the results. I can't say what I've made, of course, because they might see it here!

Because autumn seemed to go on forever this year, I had an extra long time to enjoy my garden. Even in early December, after a few frosts and freezes, I still had a couple flowers left to enjoy. Nothing much really, but enough to make me smile. It has happened a few times over the year, the December flower, and it's always a thrill for me.

But the pleasant weather is over now, and winter has arrived. We've had bitter cold and snow, and it feels like a more traditional December. It's almost like Mother Nature said "Wait a minute, it's December. It's not supposed to be warm and pleasant. I'd better make up for my mistake now by making it extra wintry." So be it. Christmas feels more like Christmas with a little snow on the ground.

Today's is the Winter Solstice. While December 21st means that winter has officially arrived, it also means that the days will get longer from here on till spring. This is always welcome news. For me, the darkness is harder to take than the cold. As a matter of fact, what we now know as Christmas started off as a pagan celebration of the return of light to the world, as the days began to lengthen. While an increase in sunshine is truly welcome, I'd also like to see an uptick in the type of light that only humans can provide. The holidays will often find us trying to provide goodwill towards men. But let's keep that going straight into the New Year and beyond. It is only the light of human kindness that can overcome the true darkness of our increasingly troubled world. Spring will come again, bringing light to the garden, and the world. Let's bring our own lights till then.