For some, it's stamps, cards, knick-knacks, or memorabilia from their travels, but for me, it's always seeds. I have been collecting seeds for over twenty years, and my passion for collecting has only increased in that time. I love everything about seeds. I admire the diversity in their shape, size, and color in every rainbow …
And Sow It Begins
The April showers have arrived, and they are doing their best to bring the May flowers. Everywhere I walk outside, I notice that nature is waking up. Delicate buds about to break open and determined shoots pushing up from underground. Ahh, Spring, how I missed you. These signs tell me that it's time to dust …
A Seeding Frenzy
I anxiously wait, watching the clock, finger poised over my mouse, ready to click at a moment's notice. Sweat starts to form on my brow, and my heart starts to race as the moment approaches. I countdown the minutes as if watching a shuttle launch, 5..4..3..2..1. The sale is live! My fingers fly like they …
I Graduated from Seed School!
Seeds. Those tiny marvels from which life springs forth. Holding the future within, they can grow a giant sequoia, a delicate orchid, or a ripe tomato. Seeds changed the course of human evolution from hunting and gathering to farming and cultivation. And ever since, the future of both seeds and the human race have been …
What’s Growing on in the Garden-October Edition
Time flies when you’re having fun in the garden! I can hardly believe that I am writing another edition of ‘What’s Growing on in the Garden'! Well, let’s dig in! I’ve noticed that my garden chores have switched gears as we reach the end of October; after all, the growing season is fleeting. At this …
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The Monumental Task of Organizing One’s Seeds
If you're like me, you love seeds. There is something hopeful and uplifting in the promise contained in each seed. An ancient proverb reminds us that "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today." I am so enthralled with seeds that I tend to collect a lot of them. My …
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A Yearbook for Seeds?
In 2020, seed sales skyrocketed as the COVID pandemic took a firm hold on the globe. Whether due to fears of food insecurity, more time at home, or simple curiosity, droves of budding gardeners emerged. Seed companies struggled to keep up with demand, especially with COVID safety protocols in place, as orders piled up. Several …
The Peanut Thief
Last week I posted about bird-watching and the joys and endless entertainment that this hobby provides. I also discussed hanging bird feeders to provide a source of food for wild birds when natural seed sources are depleted. What I didn’t mention last week was that when you feed the wild birds, there is a certainty …
Armchair Gardening
It’s twenty degrees outside, and I notice the freshly fallen snow covering the landscape as I gaze out my window. It is beautiful, covering every blade of grass and outlining each branch in brilliant white. When the sun finally peeks out from behind the clouds, the entire landscape dazzles, as if outfitted with millions of …
Planting a Piece of History
If I was told that I could only grow one type of vegetable in my garden, I think I would have to choose beans. I'm not sure when my obsession with beans began, but I have been growing them annually in my vegetable garden for the past 13 years. I can't imagine ever leaving them …