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Garden Bliss & Blunder, Issue #54 December 07, 2025 |
DECEMBER'S PEACE
“The Winter Solstice is the time of ending and beginning, a powerful time - a time to contemplate your immortality. A time to forgive, to be forgiven and to make a fresh start.
A time to awaken.” Frederick Lenz 1950 - 1998)
Photo: Cauleen Viscoff December's Cold Moon
"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?"
Steinbeck
Photo: Trey Bird Up to Snow Good...
"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold." Aristotle
However, Lucy seems to have collected more than her share of snowflakes A whole new meaning to “snow boots”
Photo: Jen Bird Winter Birds..."When the winter winds blow and heavy snowflakes fall, times are tough for small birds. They are able to keep warm by fluffing their feathers to give themselves maximum air insulation, but because of their small body size and high metabolic rate, they need to eat frequently. I keep a bird feeder -largely for selfish reasons-as one of my great pleasures in life is looking at birds. I don't pretend that it is of overall help to bird populations (that is another and much larger question), but it does help particular individuals, with their little store of body fat, to see them through the harshness of winter. " Robert Bateman
Dark-eyed Junco - Photo: National Audubon Society Feed all the critters...Put out bird seed for small birds and suet too...they need the fat. It won't be long before they spread the word to come to your garden. 
Sketch- Cauleen Viscoff Same for the bunnies.... alas, Jen feeds them and still they prefer to eat my roses.... I need to know how they can do that and not cut their own throats.... sigh.. and still be so cute.
bunny sketch - Cauleen Viscoff The squirrels will be sure to let you know not to forget them. .... yes, I know they can be a little annoying and greedy but they're hungry too and perhaps feeding them will keep them from destroying bits of the garden.
squirrel sketch- Cauleen Viscoff
And don't forget to put out their little picnic table to keep the seeds dry. (yes, really)
Seed heads for birds...
What is "Hoar Frost"?HOAR FROST is a white ice deposit, forming from frozen water vapour in the air… It creates crystals that look like feathers and will often form during cold, clear and windless nights as surfaces cool to just below the frost point. It is different from RIME ICE which forms when super-cooled water droplets from fog, freeze when the droplets touch something.
Painting: Cauleen Viscoff Dad's Rose...
Remember? This was one of the last roses of summer that insisted on leaning over the hedge to snag anyone passing by. Even in late November, the scent was still heady and glorious. ("Shakespeare" rose) .... and now, in early December, here it is, succumbing to the cold and still smelling gloriously like a rose. How lovely
Tree Bark in Winter
This is a great time to take yourself or your kiddos to identify trees by their bark.
Now, a surprise for you...
I realize it is Winter and we will not be gardening outside for awhile... but Winter is when we plan for our next season so I want to share something you can plan for... Read about how to determine how much moisture is in your garden - and it is more than seeing water droplets on flowers I love this great idea and my friend and fellow gardener, Laurie Jones, has agreed to share her story with you....
Laurie's Rain Gauge Story...My Rain Gauge Story It’s exciting to find something so simple and so interesting that also teaches us so much. On a lovely spring day, I read that the Kawartha Conservation (part of Conservation Ontario) was looking for “citizen scientists” to track daily rainfall. I was already doing this with my sad little ran gauge, but later learned it was in the wrong place. I applied and soon an employee came to show me where to place my new rain gauge. It was about 30 feet from any structure, without any trees too close. My husband and I installed a 4x4 post with the gauge at eye level. Rain or shine, I checked daily around 7:00 am to see any overnight precipitation: noted the amount and emptied the gauge. As a volunteer for our town gardens in Fenelon Falls, knowing how much precipitation helps determine when new plants need water. The usual tracking time is early May to the end of October. Last year (2024) we had regular rainfall from May till August but Fall was very dry and the previous year was the opposite. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network tracks precipitation with a simple App for my phone making it easy to record my daily findings: I could also see other trackers’ recordings in my area. It was interesting to see the differences in areas close to me due to the weather patterns affected by the many lakes nearby. As our climate changes, this process helped me understand how complicated this issue is. I would love for you to get involved - it’s a great project for kids at home or at school. LINKS BELOW: Conservation Ontario Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network - - Laurie Jones Master Gardener in Training Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network It's our Christmas Season...I LOVE the holidays… and for me, it is Christmas but there are many other holidays celebrated in December. All over the world, folks of all nationalities and beliefs celebrate special holidays that mean much to them. No matter what they mean to you and yours, it’s really about the spirit of what we celebrate; that quiet peacefulness with that first snow and how it covers the mud of past hurts and those other challenges life so generously distributes. Perhaps for a little while, this season will show us how to believe in something bigger than all of us. And sometimes there is more snow than we need or want, so please make sure you think ahead about being snowed in…. sounds romantic - but only if you have enough food, water, heat and light …. So be prepared and stock up a bit. But most of all, it’s about family and friends… by birth or by choice.
Give what you can...Perhaps you don't have the financial resources to give money, but maybe you could bake a few extra cookies, or another casserole to share.... Or even a few hours to volunteer. It’s a time to think of others and share what we can; by making and giving gifts, or supporting a charity that speaks to us. Small bits of kindness make a difference even if we cannot see its result…. letting someone in line, (yes, even the *** who wants to cut you off while driving) or paying for the coffee in the car behind…. whatever you can do… do it.… Shop locally where and when you can and go to the craft sales, the art sales and buy from the artists themselves. You have no idea what that could mean to any one of them. Besides, it is fun.
Lucy says please help other animals who have no home.... volunteer your time to walk them at shelters or give extra pet food if you can. Your local humane society or shelter always needs time and money.
The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (Ontario) LAWS is run strictly on donations, memberships and ... Lakefield Animal Welfare Society champions the welfare of animals by offering refuge and shelter Lakefield Animal Welfare Society ...then Decorate a bitHave fun with decorations and use what you have or visit charity shops for decorations. Here is a "Scandi-tree' Jen did for the Village Animal Hospital in Lakefield this year.
Or your could be a bit more formal if you wish....
Our FavouriteThings..
Our original Nativity purchased from a wee shop on a side street in Rome many decades ago. Each year we add another.. or more ... animals or figures because we know that ALL are welcome..
Books to Give.. or Keep
This is an eye-opening book....one that humbles you from the first words... but makes one realize the efforts - the colossal efforts and sacrifices people make to save what is important to them... From her personal diaries.... it is a must read... please.
An artist and bird watcher has an hysterical look at birds and their goofy habits. for the bird lover you know ... or is in you... with a wicked sense of humour Buy one and give one... or two... BOTH BOOKS AVAILABLE AT: TAKE COVER BOOKS ... in person, or on line. New Paintings...Shameless self-promotion but this size and style a bit new for me... They will both be at the Ashburnham Alehouse soon as the paint dries...
Aspens Painting -Cauleen Viscoff
Serenity painting - Cauleen Viscoff LUCY SAYS...
Read lots.... to yourself... or to anyone who will listen 
Lucy is learning about the charity in Peterborough called "Food Not Bombs" which has been feeding folks weekly for decades and relies on donations of food, money and time....
LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER WITH FOOD NOT BOMBS? or NEED EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPORT CALL MYLES - 705-748-6857 It's volunteer run and every week volunteers are needed for, food pickup, food prep cooking, finish cooking, packaging/plating, driving and cleaning up the kitchen.
Visit your local Farmer's Market for fresh food, great coffee and more while meeting friends with benefits and cuddles. The DOWNTOWN FARMER'S MARKET has COFFEE... Carolina's Columbia Coffee
Direct trade coffee chosen and imported from Carolina's family's farms. ...and FREE underground (warm) parking... ... wow..
UNTIL NEXT TIME...
Lucy says wear warm plaid and be sure to tell Santa it really is all about her. Don't forget PEACE...
Not sure about you, but for me, for us, we are struggling with the idea there doesn't seem to be as much peace out there as we hope... So, here's what Louise Hay has to say about finding peace: “How you start your day is how you live your day.” We keep asking ourselves "how will I get everything done"? but maybe more importantly, who do I want to BE while I am doing all this? Then maybe think about conversations with friends over snacks or drinks; maybe even a quiet moment waiting in line, in traffic or for an appointment or listening a snippet of music. If it all seems too much, too fast, then please take one moment for YOU Close your eyes (not while driving though), take a very deep breath and ask, what is peace to me... today and see how it slides into your life quietly as though on a butterfly wing..
Happiest of Holidays....Back Issues for Garden Bliss & Blunder
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