Anyone else who has been down and out with a month long virus, raise your gardening tools! How miserable! The problem is that not only do most folks get sick with it once, it recurs spreading itself over about a month - a period of time that I'll never look back on fondly.

So what have I been doing while I've been sleeping or whimpering for chicken soup? I read a book or two. I highly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha. It's an engaging fictional tale of a young girl who is taken from her home at a very young age and groomed to be a geisha. She narrates the book and takes you all the way through her life from childhood to her senior years. (Don't I just sound like a book reviewer?)

Here's what else I've been reading:

• Seeds of Change 2006 Catalog. From cover to cover this catalog is filled with gorgeous pictures of veggies, flowers, hand tools and even kitchen accessories. Their seeds are all organically grown and they have some recipes sprinkled throughout that are mouth-watering. Seeds of Change also has an enewsletter offering growing advice and featuring new plants.
  
  
• Plant Delights Nursery catalog. This one is way too cool or, as my niece would say WICKED cool! They feature a huge selection of plants and wearables but the big eye opener is their cover. Plant Delights always has a fun cover and this catalog is no exception. For those of you who are Harry Potter fanatics, as I am, Spring 2006 spotlights The Hairy Potter and the Horticulturist's Apprentice. When you visit the site you can also see all of their past covers.
  
  
• Waterwise Florida Landscapes. This booklet is produced by Florida's water management districts. It speaks to landscaping using the seven principles of Xeriscape. There are gorgeous photos and lists of plants and shrubs that do well in Florida. This a wonderful resource for Florida residents or anyone in warmer climates who may be water challenged.

So, there in a nutshell is where I've been since Christmas. I'm just about back to normal, or as normal as I can be. Look for more frequent postings as my strength increases...now where's that chicken soup. Happy Gardening.