For many of us, life moves fast. Between work, caregiving, weather, and energy levels, spending long stretches digging in the dirt isn’t always realistic. Yet the desire to stay connected to our gardens—to plants, seasons, and the more-than-human world—remains. This is where mindful art-making snacks come in: small, accessible creative practices that don’t require much time, space, or preparation. These quick activities create moments of spaciousness—ways to be with your garden rather than work on it. Whether you garden in containers, tend houseplants, or simply notice what grows along your daily walks, these practices invite connection, curiosity, and care. This blog post is inspired by artists and educators working at the intersection of nature, mindfulness, and creative practice. Shadow Tracing: Drawing With Light and Time On a bright sunny day—or even during the few luminous hours of winter—shadows offer endlessly changing images of the natural world. All you need is paper, a pencil, and light. As you begin to notice shadows, you’ll discover silhouettes everywhere: leaves against the ground, stems on a wall, branches stretched across a path. Shadows are always in motion, making this practice an exploration of impermanence, presence, and composition. This activity can also be done indoors—perfect for container gardeners, houseplant lovers, or cold-weather avoiders. Experiment with lamps, flashlights, or even candles to create dramatic effects. How to begin: ● Gather your supplies in a sunny spot with visible plant shadows—on the ground, pavement, or a nearby wall. ● Place your paper beneath the shadow and rotate it until the placement feels right. Artists often call this moment of choosing a study in composition. ● Quickly trace the outline of the shadow before it shifts. Notice both positive shapes (the shadow itself) and negative shapes (the space around it). ● (Optional) Design and adorn your drawing. Add color, pattern, collage, or texture to the positive and negative spaces. There’s no wrong way to continue. Flower Pressing: Preserving a Moment in Bloom The first time you grow a flower that truly stops you—dahlias were that flower for me—it can feel meaningful to preserve it. Flower pressing is a slow, simple way to honor a bloom and extend your connection to the growing season. Classic slow method: ● Start with fresh, dry flowers. Gently pat off any dew or moisture. ● Layer flowers between parchment or blotting paper, leaving space between blooms. ● Sandwich the layers between heavy books or under a weighted stack. ● Let dry for 2–4 weeks in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Change the paper every few days—especially during the first week—to prevent browning or mold. Pro tips: ● For thicker flowers (like roses or dahlias), gently deconstruct the bloom for better results. ● If patience is in short supply, quicker methods—such as pressing with a warm iron—can also work. Pressed flowers can later become collage material, journal elements, or keepsakes tucked into winter notebooks. Urban Botanical Art: A Daily Devotion to What Grows Nearby Another way to connect creatively with your garden—especially in winter—is through urban botanical art . This practice begins with collecting small finds during walks through your garden, neighborhood, or nearby green spaces: a fallen leaf, a twisted twig, a piece of bark, a seed pod. Carry a small container and follow the impulse to gather respectfully. These humble objects can become ephemera for daily devotion—small arrangements, temporary displays, or creative prompts that keep your senses engaged with the living world. A beautiful example of this practice is The Dog Walk Diary by Margot Guralnick https://www.dogwalkdiary.com/ Consider limiting digital distractions while collecting—try airplane mode, or use instant photography so images emerge slowly and tangibly. Let the focus stay on noticing. Other gentle extensions of this practice include creating nature mandalas (arranging found items in circular or repeating patterns on the ground) or building small found-object sculptures that are meant to be temporary and returned to the land. Writing and Drawing from Nature’s Perspective Your collected objects can become invitations for reflection: ● Free-write about your walk. What did you notice—sounds, textures, smells, sensations, feelings? ● Write in the voice of your object. ● Describe the world from the perspective of an ant, a butterfly, or the soil beneath your feet. ● Imagine what your object felt while it was alive or connected to its plant. Then, spend time slow-drawing your object. Set a timer for 2–5 minutes and try an attention-focused contour drawing practice. Keep most of your attention on the object rather than the page, allowing your hand to move continuously without erasing. The goal isn’t accuracy, but staying connected to the experience of drawing. Some people prefer very little visual reference to the page, while others check in occasionally to re-orient. There’s no correct way—follow what feels accessible and supportive. Let lines overlap, repeat, or wander. Try making several drawings of the same object on one page, noticing how each version changes. Afterward, bring your drawings to life with watercolor, ink, or even soil-based pigments to keep the work literally connected to dirt. This practice can be adapted using touch, memory, or imagination, depending on how you best experience your subject. Texture Rubbings and Nature Printing Texture rubbings are a simple way to explore tactile sensation. Place paper over a textured surface—bark, stone, leaves—and rub with a crayon or pencil to reveal patterns through value. These rubbings can: ● Be cut into squares and assembled into a garden texture collage ● Become pages in a garden journal ● Document seasonal changes in plants and surfaces Leaves, flowers, and other natural ephemera also make wonderful printing tools. Apply paint or ink and press them onto paper to create monoprints. You can also glue collected items onto cardboard to create a textured printing plate. Pro tip: Use the back of a wooden spoon as a brayer to hand-burnish your prints, transferring ink through steady pressure. All of these practices are invitations, not prescriptions—adapt them in ways that honor your body, senses, and access needs. Looking Ahead: Planting for Future Making The new year can also be a time for future crafting. Consider planting a dye garden—flowers and plants that can later become pigments for watercolor, fabric dye, or mixed-media work. Even the act of planning these plantings can be a creative ritual. Winter Inspiration If you’re looking for further inspiration: ● Amy Maricle , Mindful Art Studio https://mindfulartstudio.com/ ● Andy Goldsworthy – collaborative, ephemeral work with nature (Rivers and Tides documentary) ● Nils-Udo – environmental artist ● Joanna Musiał- Janicka –inspired practices (Mindfulness by the Tree)

Carol was born and raised on her family-owned dairy farm in the East-Central region of Wisconsin. Her family migrated here in 1848 from The Netherlands and after a long journey, they settled in the Fox River Valley, WI. She attended St. Francis Catholic Grade school where her grandparents were the caretakers of the grounds and buildings. As a young girl she would help them with cleaning the classrooms on Friday after school was out. Carol went on to attend Kaukauna High School followed by Fox Valley Technical College where she earned a nursing degree. After raising her children and the passing of her husband, Carol went back to college to receive an additional nursing degree and worked in the field until her retirement in 2020. After downsizing from her family home on 5 acres in the Fredericksburg area, Carol relocated to Norfolk to live near, love and support her two youngest sons who are currently working on advanced degrees in the Norfolk area. Carol worked for ten years in various fields of nursing and twenty-two years in K-12 education. Her late husband served twenty years in the military which caused them to move frequently. During the early years she worked as a nurse in hospitals, skilled-care nursing settings, home health, primary care and geriatrics. On one assignment she worked supporting the weight management program for active duty Airmen. After her children were born, she transitioned into education and home-educated her children for twenty-two years. She is retired now and enjoying her hobbies and traveling to see her family. Carol has always enjoyed digging in the dirt and planting, and as a member of a farming family, also was exposed to hard outdoor work. She was looking for a way to invest in her new community and was drawn to the friendly gardening environment. She also had a desire to learn more about gardening and improve her understanding of horticulture. Carol found the classes informative and very well-organized. She particularly liked the “commercials” where she learned about the various projects and saw the friendships and enthusiasm of the current NMG. In order to attain her required fifty hours, she participated in the Significant Tree Program, the Giving Garden as well as the Spring and Fall plant sales. She also reviewed the membership meeting videos. She plans to continue working with the Giving Garden and the plant sales. She also plans to visit projects that she hasn’t tried out yet, especially the projects involving vegetable gardening. She likes to spend her spare time bicycling, kayaking and exploring the outdoors. She enjoys cooking, reading and most of all traveling to visit her kids and grandkids. Carol is the mother of six adult kids. She has six, soon to be seven, grandchildren ranging in age from 5 to 14 years old. She is also the dog mom to a sweet Teddy Bear dog named Walter who keeps her on her toes for sure. When you see Carol, please be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.

As the colder months settle in and our outdoor gardens take their seasonal rest, microgreens offer a wonderful way to bring fresh growth and color back into our homes. These tiny, nutrient-rich plants are simple to grow, require very little space, and provide a satisfying burst of life during the winter season. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or someone new to growing food, microgreens offer an easy and joyful way to experiment with indoor gardening. This is also a great project to do with kids and grandkids, giving them a hands-on introduction to growing food. I hope this information helps you as you experiment with microgreen production. Microgreen Growing Steps • Fill Your Tray Add 1 inch of soil and pat it down gently—this removes air pockets, so seeds sit evenly and absorb water well. Sprinkle them evenly and press lightly so they touch the soil—this helps them wake up and begin germination. • Add a Pinch of Cinnamon Cinnamon helps protect seeds from mold, fungus, and bacteria while they sprout. • Water Gently Every Day Mist the soil so it's damp, not soaked. Consistent moisture helps seedlings grow strong. • Keep Covered for Two Days, Then Find Sun For the first two days, keep the tray in the dark with a lid. When uncovered, sprouts may appear yellow—this is normal and they will green quickly in sunlight. • Watch Them Grow! Sprouts appear in 2–4 days and grow quickly with daily care. • Harvest Time! When 2–3 inches tall, cut above the soil. Rinse and enjoy. Store extras in a paper towel–lined container for 3–5 days. Why Microgreens Are the Perfect Indoor Garden for Cooler Months Grow Well Indoors and Fit Anywhere Microgreens thrive in sunny windows and small spaces—ideal for winter. Very Fast Growing Harvest-ready in 7–14 days, offering quick gardening satisfaction. M inimal Supp lies Needed A tray, soil, seeds, and water are all you need. Easy to Care For Daily misting and light make microgreens perfect for beginners, kids, and seniors. Highly Nutritious and Adds Fresh Flavor Microgreens contain 4–40× more nutrients than mature vegetables and add brightness to soups, salads, bowls, and sandwiches. Supports Winter Nutrition A reliable source of fresh greens during colder months. Affordable and Cost-Effective A single packet of seeds produces multiple trays. Most vegetable seeds can be grown as microgreens. Clean and Pest-free Growing Indoor growing avoids soil pests and harsh winter conditions. Best Seeds for Microgreens • Broccoli, kale, cabbage, collards • Radish • Peas • Sunflowers • Arugula and mustard greens • Beet and Swiss chard • Herbs: basil, cilantro, parsley, dill • Lettuce varieties • Lentils Seeds to Avoid for Microgreens Some seeds should not be grown as microgreens because they contain natural toxins that are unsafe when eaten raw. • Nightshades : tomato, pepper, eggplant, potato—seedlings contain toxic alkaloids. Kidney, black, lima, and fava beans—contain phytohemagglutinin, a toxin that can cause digestive upset when raw. • Rhubarb —sprouts and leaves contain oxalic acid. Rhubarb sprouts and leaves oxalic acid • Ornamental or treated seeds —may contain chemical coatings not meant for consumption. Sources & Further Reading • Penn State Extension – Growing Microgreens at Home • USDA Agricultural Research Service – Microgreen Nutrition Data • FDA Food Safety – Raw Bean Toxicity (Phytohemagglutinin) • University of Maryland Extension – Microgreen Production Guide

Cynthia was born in Detroit, Michigan, but due to her father’s job, lived in Louisiana, New Jersey, Indiana, and Ohio. She settled in Norfolk in August, 2023 based on family vacations in Virginia, and the fact that her parents lived in Virginia Beach for thirty-five years. Cynthia graduated from the University of Cincinnati, College of Engineering, Cincinnati, Ohio. Most of her adult life was spent in the Cincinnati area, Jacksonville, Florida, and Paducah, Kentucky. Cynthia is a retired Chemical Engineer who worked as Senior Process Engineer in Manufacturing and Research Design and Development in various industries (Vistacon Contact Lenses, Hilton Davis Copy Dyes and Pigments, Drackett household chemicals, Sabic plastics, and Uranium hexafluoride conversion). She enjoys growing flowers and vegetables and likes designing landscaping around her home, discovering what works and what doesn’t. She enjoys sharing her love for gardening with others and participating in fixer-upper landscaping. The classes reminded her of being in college where she enjoyed applying the information rather than simply appreciating the science behind it. She enjoyed working with her classmates, meeting other master gardeners and experts in the field, and learning about the Master Gardener projects. To attain her required fifty hours she worked at Weyanoke Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, the Dune Garden, ECO garden, the spring plant sale, Propagation Palooza, and the Poplar Hall Park ERT event. Going forward she will continue volunteering at Weyanoke Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, the ECO garden and other events that look interesting to her. Cynthia enjoys volunteering at the Norfolk Botanical Garden and helping with her church’s vegetable garden. She is active with a woman’s social group that has card games, seasonal parties, and events, such as going to the planetarium, a lavender field, and the Dismal Swamp. She would like to get back to day hiking. Cynthia is a first-time cat mama with two rescues, Yahtzee (brown/gray male tabby) and Feta (female gray/diluted-tortie shorthair). When you see Cynthia, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.

Pervaneh was born in Oban in the West Highlands of Scotland. Her family lived in a small village called Port Appin about twenty miles north on the shores of Loch Linnhe. She shares that from the middle of the loch on a clear day, you can see the top of Ben Nevis. She went to a local school until age ten. During those years she enjoyed riding her bike, being a Brownie, and Gaelic singing. She was then sent to England to attend boarding schools with her elder brothers and cousins. Pervaneh remembers that the boarding schools were extremely old fashioned in the 1980s and she felt she might have missed some opportunities during that time. She has a degree in psychology but was not happy in that field, so she decided to pursue a career in law. She had fun being a litigation solicitor in London but this became incompatible with motherhood. For the past ten years she has worked for Citizens Advice, a UK information charity set up post WW2 to ensure no one is disadvantaged due to lack of information or access to it, and to lobby for social justice. Pervaneh is in Norfolk with her husband, Tim, who is a lawyer in the British Army and here with NATO. Since his family is from Norfolk, England, they feel right at home! During the first month in our city, Pervaneh’s husband met a Norfolk Master Gardener who told him that the program was the best thing he had done in years. Pervaneh signed up for the classes immediately as she was missing her own small garden in the UK where she raised vegetables, raspberries, and tomatoes. In the September online information session, a comment was made that she lived close to the Fred Heutte Center and there she met Monica who was very generous with her time and expertise. She attended as many trial sessions as she could. She believes the program is fabulous and a golden opportunity for her to learn more about the unique area of Norfolk, which she calls the Venice of America! Pervaneh was “taken aback” when she saw the size of the textbook! The first chapter on botany seemed full of words with which she was not familiar. But she enjoyed attending the classes and felt the course was well structured. She enjoyed meeting all the people who were invested in the successful completion of the course, including her mentor. She liked the way classes were held at different locations because this provided an opportunity for her to get to know the city. Because she lives close to Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary and the Heutte Native Pollinator Garden, much of her required fifty hours were spent at those locations. She also participated in “beautification days” for the Elizabeth River Trail, Urban Ag, Zoo Cart, Significant Tree Project, and the Butterfly House at Norfolk Botanical Garden. She plans to continue working on these projects where she can admire the handiwork she has helped with and see how a gardened space can transform the experience of the city and people living there. Pervaneh enjoys tennis and traveling and she’s thinking that bonsai gardening might be fun. Her family consists of her husband, three children, and an “outdoorsy” cat who is currently living with her mother in the UK. When you see Pervaneh, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the NMGA.

2025 VCE Home Vegetable Variety Trials: Tomatoes—Celebrity Plus vs. Jolene, Part 1 I had the opportunity to sign up for the VCE “Home Vegetable Variety Trials” in February of this year. My garden already had a lot of different plants, so I opted to try the tomato trials as they included two varieties that I hadn’t planned on growing: Celebrity Plus and Jolene. Both are determinate, which means the plants grow to a certain, smaller mature size, and then stop growing, versus indeterminate tomato plants, which grow, and grow more, and keep on growing, up to nine-foot vines! Part 1 covers from Feb to July 4th. (Look for a future post detailing the next few months’ progress.) What you get from VCE for the trials: • Seeds sent in lovely pre-labelled packages. I received seven seeds of each variety. • A lovely, printed questionnaire to track the germination and seed transplant dates, to track which seeds had better results, to track the first harvest, etc. I personally loved having a paper copy to keep specific notes on. Then in September, they will email a finalized questionnaire to complete and send notes back electronically. If you’re new to gardening, you’ll soon find out you’ll need a book, journal, Post-it notes, or some sort of note taking system. Most seasoned gardeners have a system which was usually spurred on by “what the heck happened” gardening moments. All seven of each variety’s seeds were planted on March 25th in trays, using potting soil; germination started on April 1st with five Jolenes and one Celebrity Plus.

Catherine “Cat” was born and grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA. She shared that “every time I go home, I still get a cheesesteak!” Cat received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from universities in the Philadelphia area, but received her doctorate in Miami, FL. She considers Miami a very fun city and very multi-cultural. She moved here because her husband was from Norfolk and they both love the beach. Her family had a beach home on Long Beach Island, NJ. Cat and her husband settled on Willoughby Spit and now she has a whole “beach family” here. She says that her back deck is a barbecue hub! Cat retired as a senior director from AstraZeneca in December 2023. She loved her work and supervised a dedicated group of professionals from many countries and cultures. She is currently an adjunct associate professor at UMGC. In addition, she has an antique space on the Eastern Shore. Cat always wanted to be a Master Gardener, but due to her work responsibilities, she knew she had to wait for retirement. She has always gardened, growing both vegetables and flowers. Her father was a gardener, and long before Doug Tallamy’s seminal book, her father dug up his suburban lawn to grow plants and vegetables, much to the chagrin of the neighborhood! She also wanted to be more involved in her new community and home. Cat loved the classes – the content, the instructors, the camaraderie of the class, and the food. She thought graduation was very special and believes that everyone is very welcoming at the various activities. To complete her internship, she volunteered at several Community Outreach events at the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Pretlow Library, the Zoo, and the Navy Exchange. She also worked at the Fred Heutte Native Plant and Pollinator Garden and helped to plant the mermaid garden at Pretlow Library. She has also taken the classes to become a docent at the Norfolk Botanical Garden Butterfly House. She plans to continue participating in these projects, but also to continue to be open to new experiences. She would like to serve on a committee. When Cat isn’t involved in Norfolk Master Gardener projects, she has “many hobbies and so little time!” She experiments with hypertufa. She likes the fiber arts and has a spinning wheel and a marudai for kumihimo. Cat loves photography of plants and wildlife, and she crafts and “repurposes” for her antique space. Cat especially loves raising her Queen of the Night in the night-blooming cereus family, and the Queen has produced several blooms this year. She likes to select a few things each year that she has never grown before. This year it is seeds from the African Diaspora from Sista Seeds, and another Norfolk Master Gardener gave her lotus seeds, which are thriving! Cat lives with her husband, Keith. She visits her 90-year-old mother in Pennsylvania often. When in PA, they visit old friends and keep their membership at the beautiful Longwood Gardens. When you see Cat, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome her to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.

I recently had the opportunity to give a tour of my garden to a lovely guest. As we strolled through the beds, I found myself talking about all the things that I obtained for free, or at very little cost. It occurred to me that some of the ideas might be useful to others who would like to garden "on the cheap." I have several ways to get the most bang for my buck for both plant material and garden "art." I am going to start with the plants, because they are my first love, and endless source of joy. The very first tip is to become a Norfolk Master Gardener (NMG), because you join a community of generous plant nuts who invite you to tour their gorgeous gardens, and invariably provide you with the loveliest parting gifts. My own garden is full of the examples of treasured favorites that were gifted to me by other Master Gardeners. My next suggestion is to volunteer to help your neighbors do their yard work. This fosters a bit of goodwill, and some free plants if your neighbors happen to be digging and dividing something you find interesting. Though a bit of caution on taking pass-along plants: they are sometimes vigorous little growers, and in the blink of an eye, you may find yourself, instead, as the giver of plants. Another way I have garnered plants for my yard is to ALWAYS talk plants EVERYWHERE I go. I talk about gardening as I walk through the neighborhood, at parties, and even in the line at the grocery store. You just never know who has something to share, like a perennial you have never seen before, or an envelope full of seeds that will color up your yard next spring. Speaking of seeds...even if you are not offered free ones, the investment in a seed packet or two at a big box store is a minimal expense. Yes, the seed thing requires a bit of patience (especially for perennials), but the "beauty on a budget" appeal is undeniable. In November I deploy seeds such as Poppies ( Papaver ), Larkspur ( Delphinium ), and Bachelor Buttons ( Centaurea cyanus ). In the spring they come to life and provide landing pads for my early pollinator guests. As spring blooms fade, I replace them with Cosmos ( Cosmos bipinnatus ) and Zinnia ( Zinnia elegans ) seedlings that I start indoors during March. Many of these annuals self-sow in the garden, and I harvest seeds from my plants in fall, so the investment in seeds has greatly reduced over the years. Shopping the many plant sales of local organizations such as Master Gardeners, Virginia Native Plant Society, and the Butterfly Society of Virginia have afforded me the opportunity to get many plants at a fraction of big box store prices. If you do shop the big box stores, the best time is at the end of the gardening season. They often have rolling racks of bedraggled looking perennial specimens that are way past their prime, but offered at deeply discounted prices. The only warning here is to check the foliage for insect pests, and tip them out of the pot to ensure the root system is still healthy.