Soon it will be planting time for farmers and gardeners in Southern Arizona. Select your seeds and plants from desert-friendly sources like Native Seeds/SEARCH or Horizon Herbs and make your garden plan now.
The sun makes his return now and days will be getting longer, encouraging sprouting of seeds, both wild and domestic. Such a time of optimism for folks attuned to the natural world!
We were blessed with generous rains during December and with a few more showers, our spring flowers and grasses will be popping up for a show of lovliness.
Please be kind to yourselves and the Earth by going organic/natural in your choices. First do no harm is a good moto for humans.
Be happy in your work and blessings to you.

In April, my herbal friends and I will be offering a week respite from the confusion of our current world. We are offering a retreat in a wild canyon of southern Arizona for those interested in wild plants, brillant night skies, local native foods, herbal simpling, and connecting with a wild place with semi-wild people. See: www.desertbounty.com for more information & how to sign up.
The winter rains have started generously this month and we will have a grand wildflower display here come spring if we get a few more rain events. Rain transforms the land.
The Sierra Club offers 2 separate weeks of service trips in the Altar Valley here. One week in February and another in March.The group is small, usually 12 people, and they always have a grand time helping on the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. They learn a lot, too. Southern Arizona is a fabulous territory to explore.
A different service trip is offered in March west of Tucson, just an hour north of the Buenos Aires. Susan and Charlie lead a group of volunteers on the Saguaro service trip in cooperation with the National Park Service. You can sign up through the Sierra Club online.
Arizona has sunshine, open spaces, variety, and uniqueness.