Seed Catalogs, Herb Gardens and Other Dreams of Spring

"There are two seasonal diversions that can ease the bite of any winter.
  One is the January thaw.  The other is the seed catalogues."  

 Hal Borland

Remember when we received seed catalogs through the mail?  Well now we can view the whole thing online and order too!  Here is a link to Burpee Seed Catalog for 2011. I wonder if we can still get the old fashioned paper ones?

                                                                                                                                              

Looking outside, the sad remains of snow covers the ground.  It is so cold with the wind chill it is only 4 degrees.  Brrr..................  I need something to cheer me up and remind me that winter doesn't last forever.

 

Green Grass, Snow, Icicles and Sunshine! Nature Gone Nuts!

Thinking of spring gets me in the mood to plant something.  A winter herb garden in our converted garage/garden room is just the fix I need.  As if in agreement with me, the sun has burst through the clouds. Browsing on the Internet for seeds, I come across this video and thought I  would share it with you.

This is a perfect day to cook a pot of pinto beans (Southern comfort, you know).  Not only will I get a head start on dinner, but the extra heat in the house will increase the comfort level (remember, everything must serve at least two purposes).  A package of ham left over from Christmas (the gift from guardian angel, Gene) is now removed from the freezer.  While I am in the kitchen, I might as well bake triple chocolate brownies.  One can never have too much chocolate in the house (we might get snowed in and then what would I do without chocolate?).

While shopping for seeds, I have found a couple of books to add to my wish list that will combine my love of gardening and cooking; not to mention my love of books.  Nothing comforts me more than a book, the feel of paper, the kind that goes in my personal library on a shelf (not an e-book but a real book thank you very much).

Oops! Being new to this blogging stuff, I didn't get the pictures inserted. The books are: The Resilient Gardner, Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times, and the other is The Herbal Palate Cookbook.I will provide photos when the books arrive.  

                           

Amazon.com is one of my favorite places to shop for books.  If you are very careful (checking the shipping and handling) you can save a ton of money even on college textbooks.  Becky paid less than $8 for a hardback (C.D. included) textbook for this semester.  And that included shipping and handling!