We are still in a drought, hopefully, spring will bring some relief. In the meantime, consider giving those outside trees, shrubs, and perennials a drink. Give special attention to spring bulbs and anything else you planted this fall.

One of my favorite February activities is planning the upcoming garden. I will be looking at low-water plants this year. Check out garden books, magazines, and seed catalogs for inspiration. The library is a great resource for this. Will you have edible flowers? Savory herbs? Designer vegetables in container gardens? Now is the time to make a plan.
Check out the local nurseries for open houses or just a shot of spring on a cold winter day.

A great resource for free, expert advice is your local county extension office. Master Gardeners and horticulturists are on staff to answer questions and dispense with helpful handouts. From home canning to vegetable gardens and pine beetles, they have the info. https://extension.colostate.edu/field-offices/

February 1^st is Imbolc, celebrating Brigid, the Celtic Goddess of fire, and the first stirrings of spring. She provides the fire of inspiration, healing, poetry, and divination.

It is considered a time of renewal, of earth awakening from winter and life-force stirring.

Time to clear out the cobwebs and make room for new beginnings, creativity, and insight.

Light a candle during this time of growing light and take some time to figure out what inspires you. What seeds are you planting for your future?

Have you always wondered if Valentine’s Day was just another holiday dreamed up to plunder our pocketbooks?  It actually started back in Roman times. Valentine’s Day greetings became popular during the middles ages and really took off in Britain in the 18^thcentury. From there the retail industry took it to new heights of consumerism, with Valentines accounting for a quarter of all cards sent today.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by telling someone how much they mean to you and why. It doesn’t have to be romantic. We all enjoy feeling loved and appreciated. Give yourself some love while you’re at it.

I wish I had more to report here but most of the spring festivals and activities have been canceled.

Things I’m enjoying:
Listening to Ted Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks, My current favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdKUJxjn-R8

Hiking on all the amazing trails we have in our wild areas. https://www.alltrails.com/

Planning upcoming trips – https://www.tripadvisor.com, https://www.travelzoo.com

Taking out expensive, beautiful cookbooks from the library and trying out new recipes. Here’s where I go for some of my favorites online. https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes If you scroll down to the very bottom you can subscribe to their free newsletter.

Super Easy Chocolate Clusters or Chocolate Dipped Candied Ginger

Tortellini Sausage Soup with Veggies

Roasted Yams or Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Cream