My goal is to write a weekly blog. Sometimes there is so much going on that they practically write themselves. Occasionally, I find myself in a restless frame of mind, making the selection of blogging topics a bit challenging, and even random. Welcome to my January random blog entry!
It's too early to start seeds, but gardening is on my mind every day
A typical January finds me filling notebook pages with lists of seeds to be started. This January is quite different, as upcoming speaking events and vacation means few seedlings, and minimal seed starting.
Seeds, books and Seed Saver catalogs - source of inspiration for me all year long
Cold weather really elevates bird activity at the feeders
So many birds - bluebirds and cardinals, towhees and juncos, ruby crowned kinglets and pine and myrtle warblers. White throated sparrows, Carolina wrens, chickadees and titmice. Purple and Goldfinches, Hermit thrushes and thrashers. It is non stop entertainment, daily feeding frenzy time, and such colorful fun to watch.
Two young bluebirds keeping an eye on me as I skulk on the deck with my camera
I've already had some great gardening conversations about dealing with the annual assault of seed catalogs
I've had superbly enjoyable conversations with Joe Lamp'l (the joe gardener show podcast) and Margaret Roach (A Way to Garden podcast), and, late last year but just posted, Jackie Beyer (The Organic Gardener podcast), all of which can be heard by clicking the links.
The speaking calendar is becoming a juggling act, and it is time to get busy on planning for upcoming trips
The action begins in mid February and carries through to the end of April (at which time Sue and I will jump into our car and drive cross country to visit both of our daughters and their families). I look forward to so many opportunities to bring my tomato and gardening stories around the country.
The email inbox is always filled with interesting gardening questions and challenges
I am not a phone person, and find it hard to have really good tomato talk on Facebook Messenger, Instagram, or Twitter. It is email for me, and I've been delightfully challenged by many great gardening questions; this isn't so much seasonal and pretty consistent throughout the year, and I love my late nights answering the questions. It always astounds me to find something newly asked each week; receiving, researching and answering challenging questions is how we all learn together.
A lot of seeds are on their way to tomato enthusiasts, but the seed sending surface hasn't even been scratched.
Tied with my joy in receiving emails and dealing with questions are sharing seeds with fellow gardening enthusiasts. Lots of seed is finding its way across the country (indeed, the world), and I've not even begun distributing the Dwarf Tomato Project assignment seeds for 2018 yet.
So now you know what sorts of things fill my January days - devoid of digging in the dirt, but packed with interesting things to ponder and do!
Sampling of seeds ready for handing out at my 2018 events, thanks to the generosity and support of some of my favorite companies.