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🥳🥕 The Gardening Newsletter 🥕🥳

The more you know, the more you grow!

January 1, 2026

A Fresh New Year and an End of the Year Photo Shoot

Hi Reader!

Happy New Year, my friend! We made it! 🎊🎉🥳🎊

In this edition:

• New Year Gratitude
• The Rest of Winter
• Winter Garden Photo Shoot

I love a new year. It's a restart, a chance to reflect and to dream about the new days to come.

I'm not big on New Year Resolutions ... it's too much pressure. Haha. I'm more inclined to make small changes rather than doing hard stops or starts. I think my approach makes things stick better.

Anyway, Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you peace, love, joy and personal growth so that you see positive changes based on your new 2026 decisions. You can do it!!

It was a warm Christmas 2025. That's weird to me. Even though I did spend the majority of one of those days in my garden. I was so glad that I planted all the leafy greens because everything else... grass, trees, shrubs are dormant, grey. The greens added some cheer to the otherwise sleeping garden. The sun was shining brightly and big fluffy clouds made it feel like a summer day.

I love the physical rest I get in the winter season. When it's cold and dark outside I'm inside, writing, drawing, studying, and ... resting.

But, the random warm winter days called my name and I was outside all morning one day.

I organized my storage unit and cleaned all my secateurs (clippers) and a nearly frozen lock. A bath in soapy water, a spritz of WD40, and a good sharpening; they're ready for Spring.

PHOTO SHOW:

FINDING BEAUTY ON A WARM WINTER DAY!

I created a little PHOTO SHOW GALLERY for you. Enjoy!

I started using these jugs this past summer. Three of them are 2-gallon and two of them are 3-gallon. Yes! It is no joke lugging them around my yard when they are full. Three gallons of water is about 25 lbs. I usually lug one in each hand. It's a workout! I fill and refill several times. It doesn't bother me anymore... I've gotten really strong.

He swings in the breeze warding off critters. No, it doesn't work well, but it's fun to look at.

I had no idea if I could grow this. A neighbor gave me one pad. I place it into some cactus soil and it has grown these additional pads.

I remember the first year I started gardening I was so 'city-fied'. All the little outdoor critters would send me swinging my arms and running away like an goofball, lol. I'm so used to seeing wildlife now that the only time I flinch is when I see baby snakes; goofball behavior warranted.

Another neighbor gave me these pavers. I plan to lay a walkway this Spring.

I don't know if they are called Christmas Berries officially. I just know that each Christmas there is a row of these shrubs in my backyard that show up. So pretty and festive for the season.

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From the vantage point in my backyard I have a perfect view of the sky without much interference. Typically at any point in the day I get awesome sunrise, sunset and cloud views. As I'm near a small airport I also get little planes flying by too.

I should have had this stump of a tree cut down long ago, but it keeps giving interesting design so I leave it alone.

I grow a bag of Kale every winter, but rarely eat it. I just think it looks cool.

I have a love-hate relationship with roses.

I don't typically like them because the petals drop too soon and the thorns are weapons!! I have been wounded so badly by monster thorns on this bush. This is my only rose bush left (others got rose rosette, a killer disease), and the flower is a beautiful salmon color. That's why I keep it. These little leaves remind me that there is beauty inside waiting to blossom.

That's all. It was a warm day so I thought I'd do a photoshoot for you all. Nothing spectacular, just wanted to remind you that there is beauty all around, everyday.

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Happy New Year!!

Peace and Love,

Jan!

That's all I have for this edition. Feel free to write me at jangardener@gardenease.org if you have any questions or comments.

Forward this newsletter to anyone you think would be interested in gardening information and to SUBSCRIBE HERE.

I'll see you in the next edition!

Jan🤗

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If you have questions, comments, praises, complaints, or ideas about gardening or about the newsletter, you can reach me at: jangardener@gardenease.org