It’s kind of hard to believe that a gray, cold day like today — December 22nd — is one I’m going to say good things about.
Snoqualmie Falls in Wintery Glory
So many of us are overwhelmed with holiday this & that — getting ready for Giftmas as one my friends so aptly re-christened Christmas, struggling with frozen forms of water trapping us indoors and bringing on the cabin fever crazies, and just trying to stay positive despite the seasonal blues. Still, though we truly embark on winter today, we are also over the hump and on our way to spring and summer.
I may be waxing romantic as I rejoice in today’s 7:56am sunrise and 4:21pm sunset, which in theory will provide me with one whole minute of additional sun than I enjoyed yesterday when the sun rose at 7:55am (also setting at 4:21pm). But that really is one minute closer to the long days we get to enjoy at summer solstice when the sun will rise at 5:21am and set at 9:11pm.
The First of Many Cabbages from My 2009 Veggie Garden
We may have the long, icy road of winter ahead before we reach the time when day lengths significantly increase, warming our garden soils and super-charging plant growth. But, one minute at a time we’ll get there — starting today. And, rather than sit around, wallowing in the blues that these short, monotone days can induce, I encourage you to take a hike, enjoy the beauty, soak up what sunshine you can find, throw a snowball, and when you get home to warm yourself by the fire, grab a seed catalog and plan next year’s garden. Remember — seeding time is just around the corner!
Not sure what to start when? If you’re planning veggies from seed in Seattle, odds are you’ll want to start planting some seed as early as January. The cabbages I seeded in 2009 in January were ready for harvest by early June (and continued to feed us for most of the summer). Need help planning your own vegetable garden? Get in touch now to schedule your garden coaching session for winter, which is the best time to plan. Having your gardening program in place before spring will give you more time to enjoy your 2010 garden spaces and delicious harvests, too.
