I was away at the St. Aidan's Vestry retreat this weekend in Danville at the lovely San Damiano Center.  I had the chance to walk and run on beautiful trails amidst the Oak trees, and I found myself missing nature a bit.  And then I came back to SF and visited the Little Red Hen and St. Aidan's gardens....only to be reminded that nature is everywhere - in small gardens, amidst cityscapes, all around us in SF.  I harvested lots of greens for our Diamond Diners lunch this week - and I found myself feeling so grateful for the gardens in my everyday life - such a reminder of creation and life and beauty.

I think I've probably written about thanks for our rain before - we are so grateful out here in dry California for our rainy winter.  To be honest, it's been a little tough on the veggies (I'm not sure my carrot seeds are going to make it) but the other plants sure are happy.  I thought we had lost the ferns in our church garden, but they are back (hurrah) as are some of the other flowering plants.  (I have to admit that the weeds are pretty happy too, and so now I must get after those!)

The first veggies of 2016 - from the St. Mark's garden - headed to the Diamond Diners senior lunch today......greens and rosemary.  Also we have more greens and a little haul of potatoes from the St. Aidan's garden and Little Red Hen.  Together with our cabbages, a nice harvest to distribute to our neighborhood seniors.  We have beautiful fennel at St. Mark's too - and some pretty succulents - all of them ringing in a happy new year...