THE YEAR OF THE DROUGHT?

Not to bring back an old subject, but this is my newsletter, and I see no reason to look at pictures of dead grass and defoliated trees when we can look at perfection in a beautiful setting.

Deep breath, now you can't help but exhale with a big smile. Can you?

The facts are, it was dryer than normal being the 52nd dryest year in the last 130 logged. That has been changed some by the 27th wettest November in those same. The reality is our landscapes looked rough much of the season and there was little to do about it.

Where are you going? There's important work to be done.
 

Now is the time to protect our landscapes from the coming winter, after all we could be due for a good one.

1. Mulch beds, and lawns need prepared for winter by blowing those leaves in to the turf areas.
   
2. Mow the grass short to 2.5 inches (yes, use a ruler!)
   
3. Repeat as necessary to avoid leaf buildup.

Remember the leaves are good in their own way for your soil. Take out the tomato twine and tie up your upright green shrubs. Lots in other newsletters on this. If you don’t cut your ornamental grasses before snow, make sure you get it scheduled for February, or they become a hide and seek game that tires quickly as we chase them all over the landscape..

Honor yourself, by providing the nourishment we each need in our own way so we are an asset to our families, and communities. Do it intentionally and plan the time necessary to maintain a net positive. By now none of us don’t know what that looks like so let's add it to our calendars, write it down as Tony Robbins says, “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” Lao Tzo speaks to all of us but particularly me with his, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

Today once this joy is completed, I will spend my time in the kitchen recreating joyful memories of loved ones still here and passed, by recreating cooking memories. Today it's my Aunt Kay’s ginger cookies. I have her hand printed recipe thanks to Uncle Cecil, and I will be immersed in the smells and touch of one of my most cherished memories, being spoiled by Aunt Kay with fresh milk and her incredible heavy, chewy, decadent cookies.

As I recreate Aunt Kay’s ginger cookies, I’m reminded of the sweetness of family and the joy we find in the simple things. Perhaps I wouldn’t be this fat without my family, but I like this person and currently try only to listen to God’s direction, and he unfortunately has bigger concerns with me.

I’d love to hear your stories of cooking memories if this is a passion we both share.

It seems we in Morgantown are ending our season talking about West Virginia football and our announced coach Rich Rodriguez. It reminds me of a training seminar I attended, ran by the WV DNR about a month after the same coach chased the golden cow to Michigan. Perhaps you remember that too?

The professor was reviewing wonderful slides of slime molds, one of my favorites of God tools for the degradation of the mulch we pay so much for and place around our expensive landscaping plants. Slime molds are simply grand, all colors, grows up your houses siding, in puddles out in the most visible places and the best you can say is, "it looks like puke". (Yes, my newsletter, so puke.)

About the 30th slide he said this one was particular to Morgantown and particularly hideous! It was Rich Rod photoshopped into the slime mold with his name as a Latin slime mold species.

Rich, I for one am happy to call you my favorite all-time slime mold and welcome you home! May the University have the grace to afford Coach Huggins the same if he stays sober.
 

One of my good friends is getting a new puppy in early January. May Ken and Kristal have so much joy from this little girl that it overflows to include us all. If you remember anything from me, remember none of us are due joy just from our existence, it’s our job and responsibility to create it. I love you all!