In all of these years of gardening organically, I have never been successful growing herbs indoors. I remember my Mum and my siblings bringing in their rosemary plants each winter up in Ontario. They placed it in a very sunny window and most winters it would survive well enough to be planted again outside in the spring. I always marveled at their green thumbs, because it is not easy to grow rosemary inside.

My experiment this winter with basil goes to show that everyone can learn something new at any time. Last October I took a 4″ Genovese basil plant and potted it in some Redenta’s Potting Mix, in an old terra cotta pot. Every other week or so, I watered it with a liquid seaweed solution - the only special care other than regular watering. Inside it is in a very sunny spot. Every day that the temperature goes above 50 degrees, I place it outside in the sun. It has truly thrived. There may not be enough for a batch of pesto yet, but there has certainly been enough to put in salads, soups, pastas and even a small batch of basil oil. This has been fun!

All of these years of gardening and I have never stopped to take the time to start a garden/nature journal. Last week I had the privilege of attending a workshop sponsored by REAL School Gardens on nature journaling by the renowned author and naturalist Clare Walker Leslie and came away truly inspired. What a wonderful way to teach children to be aware of their surroundings.

We gardeners are by nature aware of the world around us. Weather dictates when we can plant, so we look to the sky and watch the sun, the clouds, the rain. We dig in our soil to plant, so we learn what kind of soils are in our area. We learn to know the trees that grow here to provide much needed shade. We plant to attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife and marvel when we seek them. We garden organically, so we do no harm to our environment.

I encourage you and your children to start a journal, writing and drawing about the world around you. And Claire was adamant that everyone can draw. I am going to find out!

Years ago when I ran many miles a day, I tried to explain the term “runner’s high” to my husband. He thought I was nuts - according to him, no one can possibly feel that good exercising! Well, I did. That time “on the road” also was my thinking and planning time. So many ideas and thoughts would go through my mind; situations would become clearer and problems solved.

An hour (or preferably a day) alone in the garden yields the same results. Pulling weeds, digging holes and spreading mulch are physically invigorating. The mind wanders. What will be the topics of the next newsletter? What is the best way of educating our employees and our customers about gardening organically? What can I make for dinner with what is in the garden and the pantry?

It truly is therapeutic. To me it is so much more satisfying than spending the same time in the mall - and so much cheaper. When I come in I am not only dirty and tired, I am refreshed. Sort of like a “runner’s high”…

I was growing up, a vegetable garden was an integral part of our family’s life. The same was true as my boys were young. Today, too many children in urban communities have no concept of where carrots, radishes or tomatoes come from. Hence, they are less likely to even enjoy eating them.

Across the country, there is a movement afoot to bring children and communities together through school gardens. Teachers, parents and students are working together to plan, plant and nurture gardens. These outdoor gardens are an important part of the curriculum - teaching children science, math, reading, art, music, writing and social studies. There is an incredible organization in Fort Worth, Texas. REAL School Gardens www.realschoolgardens.org, currently provides support for school gardens in 57 public elementary schools in North Texas. The staff is superb, the enthusiasm of the teachers is infectious and, most importantly, the students are thriving from the efforts.

In Dallas, Mark Painter and others started a school garden at Stonewall Jackson Elementary in 1995. It became a 20,000 square foot outdoor science lab beloved by all the students. This past fall, Mark’s garden and his position were victim to the Dallas school district budget cuts. An amazing bunch of volunteers is raising money to continue maintenance of the garden and find a way to keep Mark on board for the rest of the school year. It is a worthy cause.

I hope that these new generations will learn to garden and garden organically. I am excited