First off, my apologizes to writer E.L. James for riffing on his popular novel title “50 Shades of Grey”. I rather doubt that my comments here will ever make it to the big screen. Just the same, the month of December in my garden is a pretty steamy mix of tan, brown, or black (and all the shades in between) emanating from foliage, seed heads, and bark, and frankly, I find it pretty stimulating…


It is February and one of my favorite holidays is upon us… Valentine’s Day, the time to pause and show both appreciation and love to all. I personally will admit to having minimal psychological prowess on this topic, but I certainly try my best each and every year, as I am sure all of you do as well. Chocolates, cuddly stuffed animals, a fancy dinner, a nice movie, a spa day and of course anything that…