The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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When I think of the month of December the words cheerful, happy, joyful come to mind. There is so much to do with family and friends such as decorating the house together, having a few neighbors in for coffee and eggnog, and fine tuning the Christmas tree to make this the best Christmas ever. Every year I always buy a few new tree ornaments to add to the mix. A friend commented last year that I had so many wonderful ornaments that it would take someone until next Christmas to look at them all....
November brings football games, cooler weather, colorful mums, fall foliage and Thanksgiving. What a happy time of the year where we can enjoy the great outdoors by taking long walks, getting our hands dirty while tending to the garden chores, and enjoying fellowship with family and friends around the Thanksgiving table. Also have fun creating a Thanksgiving tablescape with colorful leaves either real or garlands of fake leaves found in the retail stores. If your pumpkins are still viable, use t...
Is it possible that we are getting back to a normal life? When watching the football games on Saturday, there were many cheering fans crowding the stands, which was good to see. We are certainly ready for some happy times with all the gloom and doom we are hearing in the news. But there is one thing that has not changed and that is we can still go out of doors and garden without masks. I weeded a flower bed in the misting rain the other day, the experience was rather fun. And speaking of rain,...
First of all I must make a correction: in the August 2021 article of the photo illustrating the plant of the month, Cleome or common name “spider plant”. The photo showed an indoor plant, which is a spider plant, but not the outdoor one “cleome.” [Editor: This was a Gazette error, not the author. We apologize to all.] With the Covid virus, it seems we have the same song but a different verse with masks, vaccines, and a lot of isolation. All the more important for all of us to become gardeners ev...
Although the extreme heat has not been a factor this summer, the extreme humidity been a problem. Even early in the mornings, just working for 1/2 an hour sends one in the house dripping with perspiration. Remember if you are working out of doors for long periods of time, do drink plenty of water or Gatorade. One of the symptoms of getting overheated is feeling dizzy and no longer sweating. Also one can take a cool shower, and rest indoors. I have noticed that since the lockdown, the big box...
July, the most patriotic month of the year. Although this past year has had the lockdown, perhaps this July 4th will mark our “getting back to normal” time. I personally feel so patriotic I could bleed red, white and blue. I have a patriotic pot garden in my back yard with huge red geraniums, white vinca, white petunias, and blue salvia. So Happy Independence Day. Perhaps you have noticed that plants in the big box stores and nurseries are much more expensive than pre-pandemic. Of course we can...
June is the month that most people are in earnest about their gardens. If you do not believe me, just go to nurseries and garden centers on these warm sunny days. Women and men are filling shopping carts full with an array of summer annuals, perennials, bulbs and tropicals. The congestion can get frantic and the lines long, so I suggest going during the weekdays and avoid the weekends. Also early in the mornings the gardening trade would be lighter. If you are starting from scratch or have large...
We are happy to reprint this great article from Judge Givhan that was originally published in the May 2015 issue of the Alabama Gazette --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May Day has been celebrated throughout the world since ancient times and the festivals held commemorated the astronomical mid-way points between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. One of the earliest celebrations stemmed from the Celtic festival of Beltane. I can...
April to me is a joyful month of budding spring blooms with lots of flowering trees and shrubs. The dark days of winter have given way to cool nights, mild day time temperatures, plenty of sunshine and usually plenty of showers. As they say, “April showers bring May flowers,” Easter on April 6th, reminds all of God's love for mankind and the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. The Easter season would not be complete without Easter baskets filled with colored straw, jelly beans, chocolate rab...
I remember the old saying that if one does not have a lot to do someone would suggest, just go fly a kite. With all the social lockdowns and quarantining, flying a kite might be a good idea. Of course, kite flying takes place in the great outdoors and the month of March should have plenty of breezes to let it soar to the heavens. And why stop at just one kite, get your children and your grandchildren take part in this fun activity. Naturally, I suggest that we do our gardening chores first. As t...
NOTE: There was an error in the printed version of the February 2021 Alabama Gazette. We accidentally reprinted the January article. This has been corrected online. February is often called the transition month, moving the world forward toward spring and away from the dark winter months. Notice that the days are getting longer, but we still have cold weather which I term any temperatures below 50 degrees. I just love the mild weather of the Deep South where nights can get below freezing but...
Perhaps we are turning the corner in 2021 with the COVID virus and life will get back to normal. I am certainly ready and I know you are, too. Along with other gardeners of good cheer, we are always the optimists – that only good will come out of a bad situation. It's funny that during our lockdown, we go through our tried and true traditions such as decorating the house, baking cookies and cakes, leaving small gifts at our friends' doorsteps, listening to Christmas carols, and watching c...
Christmas has always been such a joyful time of the year, and let's make this year even more joyful in spite of Covid restrictions. T'is the season for bright decorations, merry Christmas trees, poinsettias, forced amaryllis and daffodil bulbs, along with Christmas carols of the past. Even if there are fewer in attendance at our homes for Christmas this year, we can always make the best of this odd situation. If you have time on your hands, start making homemade cookies, fudge, bundt cakes with...
With Fall definitely in the air, we now have low humidity and cool days. What a joy it is to be out of doors basking in the sunlight and soaking up the valuable Vitamin D. Article after article speaks to the efficacy of plenty of our sun’s gift to the world, vitamin D. When the world is experiencing this virus, it is wise to follow the recommendations of our doctors to help keep society safe until we get a vaccine. The wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving may be more subdued this year due to the v...
The one good thing about the lockdown for COVID19 virus is that there was no lockdown on the garden scene. The only lockdown in my garden was what I self-imposed when I was too lazy to get out there. Sure, there were no in person garden seminars to attend, and many public gardens were closed, but that has not kept the “green thumb” group from making the most of the situation. With the nurseries and the big box stores open for business, we shopped with our masks on, for whatever we could find. I...
We are coming up on the shank of the year: what a curve ball we were thrown with the Covid-19 virus. Hopefully, Alabama and the SEC, plus a few other conferences, will play football, but baseball has been decimated. Sports in general have been affected adversely with all the social distancing, etc. The one good thing about gardening is that we can do most of the tasks alone, outside in the sunshine and fresh air. No need for masks here. So the healthiest hobby right now in the United States,...
Ahhh, August, at times referred to as the “dog days” of summer due to the heat and humidity, which probably contributes to lethargy and just plain no energy. Add to this, the forced confinement of stay-at-home orders during the pandemic making us feel out of sorts. This summer has been most unusual due to the virus having restricted our social and community activities. However, gardening has saved the day for me since I can be out of doors, planting, pruning and fertilizing without the use of...
First of all, I trust we are all safe and following good hygiene with masks and social distancing, according to official guidelines. The safest place in today’s world would be outside in your garden. Gardening has so many positive health benefits. It provides a great opportunity for exercise and physical activity. We go on searches walking around nurseries and garden shops to find the right plant and then we are bending, squatting and stooping while planting. And let’s not leave out one of my fa...
Editor’s Note: Reprinted from June 2017. During COVID-19, we hope that everyone’s lives are getting closer to normal. Continue to be safe and enjoy some fresh air! June not only is the month for brides and weddings, but the first month of summer. Children are out of school, families take trips to the beach and our new graduates find themselves floating on cloud “9”. For those of us who are not caught up in all this joy and celebration, we can spend free time sprucing up the garden scene, adding...
With many businesses and stores in our world closed for business, this means that many are working at home. We now have more time to spend in our gardens. If you planted a garden which includes pansies and spring bulbs, these flowers are on the wane. But the dianthus will usually be lush until the end of June when the heat brutally knocks them for a loop. So May becomes the transition month, leaving spring and going into summer. In Alabama many nurseries and big box stores are open for business...
Reprinted from the April 2017 Alabama Gazette As we have heard all of our lives, “April showers bring May flowers,” and hope this will ring true as I have enjoyed the low water bills from the City. The garden chores should not be mounting if we have kept weeding on a periodic schedule; however, there are some of us who just turned our backs for a few weeks, and wake up to find the soil covered with winter weeds. Luckily the dock, and others do have shallow root systems, and take very little eff...
When we have come full swing into March, I always say that spring has sprung. Time to get serious about gardening such as making a plan if you have not done so, searching for plants at the various garden centers and nurseries, and getting seed out for sowing. Now is also a great time to plant lettuce, collard, mustard and turnip greens. Herbs are also a great choice now, such as parsley, coriander, thyme, marjoram, oregano, dill and basil. If you have an area of the bed that consistently gets...
Cupid is busy in February shooting his arrows of love because February has been called the month of love and Valentines. Many receive funny cards, romantic cards, chocolates and bouquets of flowers. So what if we are to eat less sweets, go ahead and enjoy a couple pieces of candy. Many of our beds are already blooming with winter annuals such as pansies anddianthus. I use dusty miller and lamb's ears to serve as gray and pale green contrasts to the brighter colors. However most gardeners leave...
First of all let me wish all of my readers a Happy Happy New Year. This country has been through a lot, but I have always been of the mind, that if lemons come your way, do not despair, make lemonade. In spite of the prophets of gloom and doom, 2013 will soar with hope, new ideas, new inventions and a new commitment to making our world a better place to live. And that include beautiful gardens. January is the month of hope of things to come. A group wanted to visit my garden in the dead of...
Jingle bells are ringing, mistletoe is hanging, and Christmas time is in the air. In fact, I even wondered what happened to Thanksgiving? It is amazing to me how quickly 2019 has whizzed by, is this a time warp? The River Region area has a lot going on to make the holidays bright including the Shakespeare Theatre, the Zoo, and soon, the Christmas Tree lighting at the Capitol. I call it a magical time of the year with Nutcrackers, Santa Claus, gifts for young and old, manger scenes, and best of...