Are you feeling it yet? The urge to get going in the garden?   I was reading a book from 1915 about spring, it started this way, "If you are not dead, you will feel the sap start within you..."   Everyone comes to the garden in their own time.   If you're not yet ready to put your pots together or take on gardening the way you did last year, that's completely fine.   Sometimes the seasons of our lives, don't align with the seasons of the year.   In seasons of loss or grief or depression, we can lose time. We can be out of sync.   If that is happening to you this season, please know it is ok to take a break.   Instead, enjoy the beauty around you in ways that feel right to you... until you feel the sap start within you again...       Brevities #OTD Today in 1510, Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli died.    His painting Allegory of Abundance or Autumn is one of his most elaborate and detailed drawings and it depicts an abundance of flowers and fruits.       #OTD Today in 1874, the horticultural hornet, George Glenny died.  He was 83 years old.   Glenny was an opinionated gardener. Known for his sharp tongue and difficult personality, he was called the horticultural hornet by Will Tjaden.  He was critical of John Claudius Loudon, Joseph Paxton, and Joseph Harrison.  And yet, he was benevolent; assisting the efforts of numerous charities and causes during his time; including the Duke of York Column in London.   Glenny started the Horticultural Journal, which was followed in 1837 with the first garden newspaper, The Gardeners' Gazette. These early accomplishments brought Glenny much satisfaction; he knew his work was taken to heart by his readers and his suggestions were being acted upon. As the editor of his paper wrote,   "There will be few to deny that his vigorous pen has contributed as much as, that of any single writer to the great and ever-increasing popularity of gardening amongst the people." Through it all, Glenny was a devoted garden writer; sharing his knowledge of gardening with the people, week in and week out, through the very first gardening column and through numerous other articles and writings. His books were affordable; anyone could buy them - and they did. During the Victorian age Glenny was an active contributor to garden literature. No doubt Glenny's advice was swirling about in the heads of many new gardeners.       #OTD Today in 1934, The Times Herald out of Port Huron Michigan, shared quite the article about Plant Exploration.   With the onset of commencement season, The USDA Would receive an annual batch of letters asking about "agricultural exploring as a career, what the job Is, how to qualify, and what the future prospect are".   The article shared that answers to those questions would be spelled out this way:   "Knowles A. Ryerson, formerly in charge of the plant exploration before his promotion to Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry, recognizes such ambition as the natural outcropping of adventurous spirits, and he sympathizes with the boy whose mind is turning that way.   An agricultural explorer has to be a natural plant lover and must have studied botany and other plant subjects, and must have worked with plants in the field and garden. In addition, he must have a good general education as well as sound technical knowledge.   He must have certain other Indispensable qualities - robust health and a good sense of humor.   He must not only stand hard traveling in rugged countries day after day, but must be able to go to bed on an empty stomach after a trying day's work and sleep on a rough box without feeling abused.   "I see no Indication that plant exploration will become unnecessary, but every indication that the requirements for plant exploration will continue to become even more exacting.    I would not want to discourage any boy from the effort, but there is no denying that it would-be Plant Hunter has a man-sized job ahead of him if he is to prepare himself to qualify for one o