As I was driving home from a family Christmas with a boyfriend that braved a holiday with my well… interesting… family, I made an observation. I said, “To me… January and February are the absolutely WORST months!” Naturally, he inquired why I thought so. “Because it’s just the dead grayness of winter. In November and December the cold and snow are still new and exciting… and you have Thanksgiving, The Winter Solstice, Hanukah, Christmas, and The New Year to look forward to. But, January and February have almost nothing but cold darkness and dirty snow.”

I thought about the Christmas gifts I bought for my family; mostly the antithesis of the upcoming months. I grabbed The Skyscraper Garden for my green-living urban-gardening sister-in-law, and the Lighthouse Birdfeeder for my backyard bird-watching, retired Naval engineer grandfather. It would seem that I was doing my very best to make sure everyone else got through these months as well. I love to be outside, and these months seem to just trap me indoors.

As I’m sure many gardeners (and those that don’t so much do work outdoors as lounge in Adirondack chairs, hammocks, and gliders) agree, I thought I would do a push for ways to make your spirits bright with tips to bring the outdoors indoors until spring comes around again.

Why not try to grow an orchid this winter? Though widely accepted as incredibly difficult plants to nurture and manage, there are many that are surprising doable for even a novice gardener. There are several varieties that will bloom without greenhouses, sunlamps, sunrooms, or advanced skills. Plus, tending your flowers will keep you happy and ready for the serious gardening sure to come!

The Nun’s Orchid and Tropical Lady Slipper are probably the two least fickle orchids, and are unlikely to be over-watered, as they are almost always thirsty! The Moth Orchid is another good beginner flower, though it is not as water-loving as the formers, and would prefer slightly dryer roots. My personal favorite, however, is the Cymbidium. Why you ask? Well, unlike me, it responds to the short winter days by flowering and expressing colorful blooms to brighten your days.

The Cymbidium

It’s best to purchase your orchid at a plant nursery rather than a supermarket or home improvement store because nursery orchids are more likely to have solid roots and a strong beginning. It will be easier to grow and maintain an orchid that you bring home already strong and healthy. In many orchids, parts of the roots are visible. Make sure you choose a plant with firm roots that aren’t dried up or rotting. Besides the roots, take a good look at the leaves. Leaves with yellowing or black spots indicate disease or insufficient care. Lastly, though an orchid with several blooms may appear the most attractive at the store, it’s better to choose one with several buds that have not yet bloomed. An abundance of blooms indicates that the orchid’s show is almost over— and you wouldn’t buy tickets to a concert after intermission would you?

There’s no reason to abandon the beauty of flowers just because your garden may be covered in snow. Go out and buy three or four orchids, to set on tables, chests, buffets, trunks, and shelves. The sun may be slipping under the horizon before dinner time, but you’ll have gorgeous, exotic blooms around you to keep your chin up!

And, whether you plan to spend your warmer months pulling weeds and planting tomatoes, or gently swaying on porch swings, lazily rocking on rocking chairs (what else could you do on one?), or just enjoying your gazebo, cabana, or pool house… these seemingly difficult orchids will keep you both occupied and flower-filled until you’re out in your garden again!

See You Outside! (or… inside…)

Hazel.

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CedarStore.com is a great place to do your holiday shopping; and we have an immense selection of gifts for people of all ages. 

 For example, there’s the stunning assortment of storage chests in our ‘Home Accents’ section.  Our classic cedar chests, finished to resplendence with a double coat of lacquer, will give any room a warm, inviting glow, as will our gorgeous cherry and oak chests, which are available in several rich wood stains.  To make them even more welcoming, you can turn them into comfortable seats, with our soft, attractive chest cushions, which are made from durable, washable olefin, and offered in several colors and patterns.  

 In addition, we feature solid oak steamer trunks, reminiscent of those that were used during the heyday of steamship travel, that are accented with brass-plated hardware and genuine leather straps, and come with locks and keys.  You’ll also find vintage maple chests that are finished in your choice of four colors of distressed paint, for an authentically antique look, along with white pine chests embellished with  hand-painted designs.

 Besides our storage chests, we have breath-taking, hand-crafted cherry and oak silverware chests, jewelry boxes, and armoires, lined with burgundy or green felt, and offered in six radiant wood tones.

 There’s also a ton of fantastic gifts for children in our ‘Kid’s Korner’ section.  There, you’ll find a huge array of durable scooters and tricycles, constructed with powder-coated steel frames, and available in several bright colors, as well as ultra-sturdy wagons with weight capacities of up to 1,100 pounds. 

 Beyond the toys, we feature a wonderful line of children’s outdoor furniture, which includes kids’ patio chairs, folding chairs, picnic tables, and folding picnic tables.

 If you want to bring the family together, try some of our fun, challenging outdoor games, such as croquet and quoits.  If you’ve never tried quoits before, it’s a game that’s just like horseshoes – well, almost.  But that counts, right?

 Yours Outdoors,

 Kathy

It seems as though Christmas comes earlier every year.  It’s not just because retail stores start pushing it in August, either; after all, everyone knows that they have always been one solstice or equinox ahead of the earth’s rotation.

I think it’s because the rest of the world is starting to go along with the idea.  Just look at their outdoor décor; not only do some people not even wait until after Thanksgiving to deck their homes out for Christmas anymore, but even Halloween gets at least a month’s head-start.  I’ve been seeing scarecrows in porch chairs, pumpkin-headed creatures on loveseats, ghosts hanging from arbors, and spider webs on trellises, practically since the school year began (and, no, I’m not hallucinating)!

Decorating issues aside, there are those who have always gotten a jump on the rest of us when it comes to holiday shopping.  This is an entirely different matter, as these people are not fanatics; they’re just very annoying to certain individuals who traditionally don’t start until, say, Christmas Eve (I only know this because I have a “friend” who does it).        

Furthermore, it can be a good idea, especially if you’re ordering something that has to be shipped, and may take awhile to arrive.  In fact, it can be a really smart move, because, in this hectic, hurried world, where more people every year simply pass out gift cards (which, in many cases, they pick up at grocery and drug stores), getting someone an actual present – and one that has to be shipped, no less – is a great way to show that you cared enough to shop for something specifically for that person.

If this sounds like a good thing, in theory, but you really don’t have a lot of time to shop, you’ll be glad to know that you can get some spectacular gifts right here at CedarStore.com.  I’m not talking about knick-knacks, either; I mean gorgeous cedar chests, oak chests, cherry chests, steamer trunks, jewelry boxes, silverware boxes, and armoires, available with many different staining options.

No matter which one you choose, you’ll be giving a gift that can be opened again and again, for years to come.  That definitely beats a piece of plastic!

Yours Outdoors (or, in this case, indoors!)

Kathy