Here's to more Toastin' 'n Postin' in 2011! Happy New Year, Dear Reader . . . and Happy First Anniversary to my First Blog . . . The Last Leaf Gardener

Tonight on New Year's Eve, after I do some "home deliveries" of my New Year's herbs (that I have harvested from my roof-top extension urban garden, and which I've blogged about in a previous post), I will go to Central Park to watch the fireworks and the Midnight Run, but first let me wish my readers a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year and to thank you on this blog's anniversary for your support: "Here's to more toasting and posting!"

"Rosemary is for rememberance"

HERBS IN MY ROOFTOP GARDEN

This is the 363rd day of 2010, and there are only two more days of this decade (in the Gregorian calender) after today passes. The promise of the onset of a new year is an occasion for me to send a card to people who bring meaning to my life. 

While you may not have time to go on my on-line viewing sources to choose a card for you to do the same, I do have a beautiful selection of cards in the store-front pages of my web-site, and I hope you will make it a New Year's resolution to reach out to your colleagues, friends and family from time to time by sending them a card for the array of events that  are bound to occur during the course of  the new year for all persons.

Flight into Egypt

Links to this post are being updated. Please check back later.

"poignant omissions"

The recent snowstorm buried my roof-top extension urban garden in blankets of snow, as seen in the photograph at the top of this post. The composition isn't so great, but it is a good indicator of how much snow fell last night if you compare it with the photograph in yesterday's post. The heavy snowfall was accompanied by thunder and heavy winds, so I have not ventured into Central Park to see if there are snow sculptures. Central Park is quite close to where I live, and it is lovely when quiet from the snow. The stillness and quiet brought by such a heavy snowfall normally fills me with peace, but I confess I did not feel much peace today on this third day of Christmas.

" . . . and so this is Christmas, and what have you done?"

During the mid-morning, today, Sunday, December 26th, the day after Christmas is Boxing Day to some, Kwanzaa to others and the second day of Christmas for me. 

As I walked to the assisted living center where I do volunteer work every Sunday morning — and where I spent part of my Christmas yesterday — as discussed in yesterday's post , snow was falling lightly, and an elderly woman pushing a shopping cart was walking up the street shouting, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! We shoulda had this yesterday! We shoulda had a white Christmas!"


What the woman may not have realized was that we were having a white Christmas. The Christmas season, for some who celebrate it in New York City, ends on January 6th, the twelfth day of Christmas, with the Feast of the Epiphany, and is honored with a parade down Fifth Avenue near East Harlem. This event is held annually, and includes animals such as camels and donkeys, in an effort to commemorate the visit of the three kings to the Christ child. It is also the day some cultures exchange their Christmas gifts.

Thoughts on the Creators of Photo-Albums

If you have been following this blog, you know that I create, produce and sell greeting cards for all occasions that are about more than communication. 

Many of these works are based on my original prints and all of these items can be viewed on my web-site where purchase information is available. Perhaps my inclination to design cards comes from my mother, who for the first nine years of my life designed our family's Christmas cards beginning with the one of yours truly posted above this entry.

Day of Christmas Eve with a special posting: SOME WRITER!

It is the morning of Christmas Eve 2010, and in the spirit of giving and sharing, I am providing this 'extra' December post that contains one of my favorite Christmas essays by E.B. White, who gave me such joy as a child by bringing the fictional characters of Wilbur, Fern, Avery, Templeton and Charlotte into my life through his beautiful book, Charlotte's Web, which Santa left under the tree for me one dark Christmas morning. Today in honor of E. B. White, Charlotte and her web, I've posted an image of a spider's web at the top of this post — because the days when I first met Charlotte, I  suppose I was looking for someone like her as I needed encouragement during those dark days, and, E.B. White provided it for me through her.

Following up on Brian Lehrer's Question: "What are you putting yourself through to get to where you are going on Christmas?"

Yesterday on The Brian Lehrer Show (WNYC, AM Radio), listeners were invited by Brian Lehrer to call in with an invitation to "tell us the lengths you're going to in order to get to family and friends this holiday season. Are you taking a super long flight or multiple forms of transportation? What are you putting yourself through to get to where you are going on Christmas?"

The invitation to do this was prefaced by Brian Lehrer telling us the great lengths his producer was going to to get to the island of St. Johns for Christmas.Hard to top going to St. Johns and the oh-so-cool itinerary that Lehrer's producer would be following, but, thankfully, a couple of callers did.

Winter Solstice

As most people know, the 2010 winter solstice will occur tonight December 21st, 23:38 (11:38 PM), Universal Time. The winter solstice is the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. However, it also signifies the coming of lighter days and often brings on a festive mood. Religious leaders have used the coming, of more light as an analogy to Christ's coming bringing more light with his birthday celebrated on December 25th, Christmas Day. It is a comforting thought on the surface for believers, unless one thinks about that too long. For isn't His  birth proclaimed in a hymn's lyrics as "joy to the world?" Not all of the world experiences the December winter solstice in this manner. For example, our Aussie friends and Brazilian comrades are usually in the midst of summer at this time. The various ways to perceive ideas are never ending, as the illustration (posted above) by Dennis Kitchen — though not based on the solstice — depicts.

Honoring the Season of Feasts with Hakonechola Macra (Japanese Forest Grass)

Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, a season that began on November 28th 2010.  Dennis Bratcher writes,"the fourth candle of the advent wreath is lit on this day and the light of these candles reminds Christian believers that Jesus is the light of the world — the light that comes into the darkness of people's lives to bring newness, life and hope. It also reminds people that they are called to bring light into the world, and to reflect this grace to others. The progression in the lighting of the Advent candles symbolizes the aspects of waiting, as the candles are lit during the four week period, it also symbolizes the darkness of fear and hopelessness receding as more and more light is shed into the world." Even though I have done volunteer work by bringing Holy Communion to the homebound every Sunday, as well as special feast days, for the past five years, I confess I still struggle with having the faith Bratcher describes.

Oh, kitchen armoire, oh kitchen armoire, how lovely is your surface . . .

The image posted above is a photograph (taken in my kitchen) that shows some details of the 'winter-time garden' that I keep inside during the winter season. This "garden" is comprised of my less hardy outdoor plants that I bring into my apartment (from my roof-top extension urban garden which I go to great lengths to winterize.

I have also created a line of greeting cards based on some of my past roof-top extension garden winterizing endeavors. These cards are quite special to use for sending holiday wishes. They are part of my petite wrap-around card collection. 

A sample of a petite wrap-around card from the winter collection can be seen below:

As for the plants that I bring inside, I place them on top of humidity trays (placed below a cold/warm light system that is connected to a timer then suspended) that are filled with pebbles. This method is a great way to preserve the humidity and to keep the plants happy during the winter months.

Home for the Holidays

As part of this year's winterizing my roof-top garden, my Fagus sylvatica (Beech Tree), 'housed' in a lovely container, was removed from where it had been placed in what had been a frame for a table.

You may recall what I wrote about this in an earlier entry and if not, please click here. In any event, the reason for moving the Fagus sylvatica was that it was located at the extreme northwest corner of my garden and very exposed to nature's elements.

With winter-like temperatures setting in, I had to protect it by having the container wrapped twice in bubble-wrap, then 'sealed' with burlap (from on-line fabrics) tied tightly with jute, and then butt it up against the southeast portion of my roof extension garden. All the plants alongside where the Fagus had been located were treated in the same way and moved as well, where they could all huddle together, but placed in such a way as if they were sitting in an audience and each needed a good seat to see what was happening.

Lighting a Fire Inside the Heart . . .

"Christmas is not in tinsel and lights and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow. It's lighting a fire inside the heart. Good will and joy a vital part. It's higher thought and a greater plan. It's glorious dream in the soul of man." (Wilfred A. Peterson) 

It is only December 13th, and Christmas is 12 days away, but from all the frenzy of various tree lighting celebrations (which I have blogged about in a previous post) that sets crowds clamoring in New York City where I live, it is  hard not to get caught up in the often chaotic atmosphere of the city.

Special Unscheduled Posting: In Honor of Colleen Elizabeth Ormond

One month and one day ago today, on Veterans Day, November  11, 2010, Colleen Elizabeth Ormond (pictured above with the family dog, Hero), died at the age of twenty-five. I learned of her death late that night, not even a week after my post about November being a month of remembrance for those who have died, and for those who mourn them.

Today has a "Count Down Date" : 12-11-10, Finish Winterizing!

The  photograph above was taken about six weeks ago, on October the 27th 2010, in the afternoon prior to my presentation at the Apple Store on 67th Street and Broadway in New York City. (I spoke about the presentation in two previous posts which can be accessed by clicking here and here). 

I took the photo from the roof of the building where I live, to have an aerial view of my rooftop garden. I also wanted to have a full view of my garden to include in a "pitch" that I was requested to submit to someone who works for a well known public figure.

"When I find myself in times of trouble . . . Mother Mary comes to meet me . . ." Consolation of Strawberry Fields

Yesterday, December the 8th, was the  Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was also the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's murder, and just as it is said that people of a certain age remember what they were doing when they received the news that John F. Kennedy was assassinated (as I blogged about in a previous post), it is said that most people of a certain age will remember what they were doing when they received word that Lennon was shot and killed in New York City, just outside his home, a half a block away from where I now reside.

Remembering December 7th, 1941

Taking time out from blogging and other activities for moments of silence to remember those who lost their lives as the result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, sixty-nine years ago today, and also for honoring those who lost their lives and loved ones in the war that followed.

Ignatius's PURR-fect Posting

Hello, dear reader, My name Ignatius the Cat, and I belong to a priest (or should I say he belongs to me heh . . , heh. . . . heh). He  probably calls me Ignatius for Saint Ignatius, but I won't tell you what I call him. In any event, he is always taking pictures of me (for obvious reasons) so when I found out about The Last Leaf Gardner Blog's posting about painted rocks with cats as the 'subjects,' and that the artist who rendered them did custom rocks from photographs, I made sure I would look right into the camera when the priest took a photograph of me — for I knew, upon seeing my picture, the priest would not be able to resist having a custom rock made in honor of me.

The Lighting of the Actinida Kolomikta and Actimidia (Kiwi Vines) Soirée: Alternative to Crowded Tree and Menorah Lighting Celebrations

Happy December! There are so many celebrations this month, in New York City: many tree and menorah lighting events mark the onset of Advent, Chanukah, and Christmas.

This past Friday, November 26th, 2010, the Friday after Thanksgiving, (which I referred to as Blue Friday in a previous post), the South Street Seaport had a ceremony for the lighting of their Christmas Tree beginning at 6:00 PM. 

The sportscaster, Jill Martin, played hostess to the festivities, which included a marching band from Brooklyn, characters from the Big Apple Circus, and jolly old Saint Nick. I'm told that Saint Nick posed for photos at no charge while performers who included Darlene Love and The Big Apple Chorus sang traditional holiday songs; and they were even joined by Rudolph (with his nose oh-so-bright) as well as Frosty The Snowman.