As I write this post, it’s still February and we’ve reached the peak temperature of the day.  Yes, “feels like -6°” is the best we’ll get, so including a packet of Forget-Me-Not seeds as one of your activities for the month seems like a bit of an act of faith.   All residents of places with four distinct seasons can tell you, though, that one of the best things about where we live is the anticipation of the next season, and that’s what we want you to do with the seeds.

The idea is to get you started on a lovely sacred space somewhere at your house, so page 12 of the Sacramentals and Indulgences Home Lesson has instructions for creating a family grotto.  It can be as simple as a Saint statue near your pot of flowers, or as elaborate as a Mary Garden.  Mary Gardens have their origins in medieval times where the color, shape, or other qualities of many flowers were given some kind of religious association.  One research project has identified over 800 flowers named for Mary, Christ, or the Saints!   (Their Gardening page has lots of practical suggestions for gardeners of all skill levels.)

So even if you live someplace where you’d have to shovel through a couple feet of snow before even finding soil, you can do this activity by focusing on the planning rather than the implementing.  And if you live someplace where actual seeds can be planted, please send me a photo.  I’d love to remember what it looks like to go outside without bundling up in winter gear. 😉