Sunday

My wicked cold remains wicked, but at least it is now just in my nose. I'm not sure that is good or bad. I am going to offer my seat opponent a nice chocolate bar and some hand sanitizer for having to sit next to me for eight hours. I'm also going in search of a nice sinus pressure reliever for my flight. That should be fun!

Friends, wash your hands religiously, drink lots of fluids, get lots of sleep and never don't touch your eyes with your fingers, especially after taking public transport. I have managed to stay healthy more months if not nearly a year by doing these things,  but something out there caught me off guard this time and I'm going to fight to keep myself well for the rest of the year.

Sunday, you were awesome, what I saw of you after I stayed in bed until the last possible moment before my check out time.

Saturday

I ate a lot of lemon cake today 

I read a lot. 

Slurped noodles and did nothing. 

I highly recommend it. 

Buy this now - the St. Valentine's Day edition

You could always just buy your true love some bubble wrap to keep the plants warm and toasty, Chelsea Physic Garden, 2015.

I'm not much for St. Valentine's Day as it is gushed and shoved down our throats by my kindred marketers.  I hate watching desperate people flocking to the candy store or into lingerie stores looking for a little something at the last minute. St. Valentine's day is a foreign concept in Iran, but one my mom worked hard to integrate into our childhood.  I loved getting little presents from her - little notes or new pjs.

I was not a terribly popular kid growing up and didn't get tons of cards or had sweethearts in my youth who cared about such things, as a result my feelings about the holiday soured until I met TH. She was skeptical about the holiday as well. Over time we both warmed up to the holiday. For the past twenty plus years,  we've enjoyed some nice dinners, bought flowers or plants near the day and exchanged some lovely mementos that we both still use.

I think on our first Valentine's day she gave me a flat bladed shovel.  Romantic? To me, yes. Practical? Hell yes. I still have that shovel and use it often.

As I walk around the gardens of the Shires, I wonder what I would get a gardener to celebrate the holiday - something that would last and be special. I have spent a little time today listing a few of these. It may be too late to order some of these things for delivery next week, but the gardening season is coming up and lasts a while, so I'm sure they will still be appreciated.

Here's my favorite wash basket that we use for carrying seedlings, shears, and seeds to the garden and fill up with produce on the way back. It is sturdy, gorgeous and goes well with your wellies.

I can't live without my Felcos.  I have to change out the blade occasionally, but these size 6 right handed pruners are by my side or in my skort all summer long.

I cannot get enough of seeds from  Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, especially these chicories or these Renee's garden sweet peas.

I do wear gloves when I garden and these are the best I've found. They go right into the wash and hang dry. Do yourself a favor and buy two pairs.

If you love a good garden book with some awesome recipes, I highly recommend finding a used copy of this great book by Christopher Lloyd.

If you want to read about an amazing story of gardening and family, pre-order my friend Tara's book The Orchard House and go to her Seattle reading.

That garden spade - it is still worth a million boxes of truffles.

Go out, get dirty and then get romantic.

Snowdrop Mania

I'm in London for the next few days partially to clear my head, but really to see the snowdrops that are popping up all over gardens in the UK.  I love snowdrops. I have a few different varieties in my garden, but nothing like the crazy number that are cultivated here.

I wish I could take them home, but I can't.

They are some amazing beauties.

Follow me on instagram to see my latest pictures.  Today I visited the Chelsea Physic Garden and got to talk around with the head gardener to hear what he liked to see in the winter garden.  Some of his choices were amazing and gave me some great ideas. He also hit upon something that I have queued up and ready to go for next week - the new hellebores.

Tomorrow, I'm going North to Cambridgeshire to visit Anglesey Abbey and their gardens. I'm really excited also because I haven't been to Cambridge in a really long time.

Saturday, I'm off to Welford Park in Berkshire to see their collection. It is a little crazy to get places like these houses and gardens without a car, but I'm going to give it a go.  It was gorgeous and a little chilly today. I believe Saturday is going to be much the same.

I am debating if I want to add two hours to my visit.  The thing is that even with a tea room, I'm going to be freezing and a little bored. The buses are conspiring against me in this case. If I feel like I was shorted, I'll just come back next year with TH.  Every place I go I wish she was here.

Ack, it is nearly midnight here. Time to hit the hay.

So.Many.Snowdrops.So.Little.Time.

I would share the photos, but they are taking their sweet time to upload, so I'll add them later.

nm

Two letters, one sentence.

I really meant to write this post on January 2, but then I got busy with AMS and soon the job thing followed.  I didn’t get a chance to share with you what I believed then and still believe is my “Focus” word for 2015.

That word is NO.

One of my childhood friends stated recently that No is a complete sentence in two letters.

Saying No means that I will not overcommit and under deliver which disappoints both of us.

Saying No means that you have more time in your life for the Yeses that are important and usually come after someone hears you say No.

Saying No does not mean that I’m being selfish with my time, nor being a slacker and pulling my weight.  This year it means I am being more thoughtful about the choices I make, the projects I’m willing to take on and the people I’m going to spend time with in 2015.  To me, by saying No I’m going to do the best that that I can and give what I can give.

I wish I could say it was a more cheerful word like embrace, joy, smile or what what, but it is what it is.

I say yes to that.

Anticipation

Snowdrop mania starts tomorrow 

The brighter side

I get to spend my days with Ernest. 

A month late

The last month has been a bit of a trial.  I'm still working through it. I'm happy to say I'm healthy as a horse and my family is fine.

My job, however, is not.

I knew working at a startup was going to be risky, but I was willing to take that risk.

I'm happy to take it again.

I learned so much and I can give so much. I just need to figure out the best way to approach my next opportunity.

More later.

I'm challenging myself to write everyday this month. I missed it last month.

nm

The day

Has been long and so much to process!

I'm in Phoenix, away from my home, but blessedly with TH and my friends.

I'm happy to be part of this amazing community of climate scientists, meteorologist,  and some of the smartest people in the room.

2015

The first thing I baked in 2015 was sweet and fresh. I am hopeful that this year will be much the same.