Red birds, in particular, are hopeful when skies are gray. I don't have a lot of happy childhood memories of Christmas. My dad, who just happened to be a fallen-away Jehovah's Witness, hated the holiday, and without meaning to, he often spoiled things for everyone. I won't bore you with all the gory details, because they are the same old story acted out in many homes. Alcohol mixed with melancholy makes a nasty brew. I probably go over the top at Christmas, but I don't care. Christmas is always a challenge, but I decided, long ago, to enjoy it. In fact, I celebrate it with gusto. This year, however, is particularly challenging. I keep thinking of  the poor people of Newton, Connecticut--their hopes and dreams like shattered glass. As a parent, I am anxious about my own children's safety. I know the rest of the country has similar nightmares. I...

Yes, it's that red around here. Can you see the redbuds lining either side of the road? “May I a small house and large garden have; And a few friends, And many books, both true.” Abraham Cowley  

  A collection of bulbs I'm coaxing to bloom indoors. For weeks, I've been mad about forcing, that process by which we coax bulbs to bloom indoors. Although I've done this for several seasons, I never really considered the containers. A McCoy forcing bowl full of double 'Cheerfulness' narcissus. Wouldn't you like a bowl of cheer? At least until I researched and discovered vintage bulb bowls. It was then I realized I'd seen these same bowls at one of Guthrie's antique stores. There are many lovely antique stores in my little hometown, but I'm especially fond of two, Magnolia and Wisteria, owned by the same man, Art Aguirre. He has such a good eye, and even the names of his stores evoke romance. Vintage chickens I bought from Wisteria a couple of years ago. I began buying old, ceramic chickens from Wisteria a couple of years ago. Art is a...

Yesterday, as I finished up a piece for Fiskars on forced bulbs (bulbs coaxed to bloom indoors during winter) Non-Gardening Best Friend, Aimee, called. Because I was working on an article, we talked of amaryllis, paperwhites and hyacinths. I asked her if I planted an amaryllis for her, would she want it? I am always trying to spread the love of gardening around, and amaryllis are super easy. In her answer, she said something very revealing. Paperwhites, probably 'Ziva' before I knew better. First, she said yes, and then asked, "Do they stink?" I told her No, most don't have any scent. "I don't want any more paperwhites," she said, "I grew those once. They stunk." "Not all paperwhites stink," I said, and it sparked a great discussion about Narcissus ssp papyraceus 'Ziva,' otherwise known as "Her Stinkiness" and her cousins. 'Ziva' is the most common paperwhite daffodil sold in commerce,...