the first few hours of 2011 were calm and lovely , today January 11,2011 we are reminded that it's winter until march 21 or there abouts...snowing today a cool light snow the kind that almost makes shoveling a joy... can I share a secret with you? Ok, I will anyway. I do not like winter weather. I yearn for a warm climate near a beach perhaps ... definitely not Chicago. the best I can do is pretend I am some place else... even if just for a minute I believe I am in a tropical space, like when you go to the conservatory , you feel transported...that is how our gardens should feel.. in the winter we don't have our gardens, but this year I created a small garden room for myself. off the bedroom of my city apartment I enclosed the porch with plastic and insulated areas and created a small green house. the plants are thriving...so far. now anyone who knows me , knows , i am not a house plant person...i like the ease of watering with a hose... no buckets or pails or cans.... but we all sacrifice ... the space is my little oasis in Chicago .. a bit of the tropics.. up until Jan 10 i didn't run a heater , but just started a space heater and it keeps a constant 60f degrees plus in that room now ...i leave the sliding door open and it is like having a spring day on the deck... such a joy day and night... a place i can sit and create the next season plantings all while the snow piles at my door...
