Nothing much to do outside at this time of the year so going through old files and garden club newsletters, I found a few lines worth sharing:

鈥淭he best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.鈥�

Plant catalogue terminology:

鈥淎 favourite of birds,鈥� means to avoid planting near cars, sidewalks or clotheslines.

鈥淕rows more beautiful each year,鈥� means, 鈥渓ooks like roadkill for the immediate future.鈥�

鈥淶one 5 with protection,鈥� is a variation on the phrase 鈥淩ussian roulette.鈥�

鈥淢ay require support,鈥� means your daughter鈥檚 engineering degree will finally pay off.

鈥淢oisture-loving鈥� plants are ideal for landscaping all your bogs and swamps.

鈥淐arefree,鈥� refers more to the plant鈥檚 attitude than to your workload.

鈥淰igorous,鈥� is a code for 鈥渉as a Napoleonic compulsion to take over the world.鈥�

Before the ground froze, I decided to plant my walking onions in the cold frame. Kept inside, they would dry out so better take a chance and they might grow. The cold frame is closed in the winter so they will be protected somehow.

I am also putting some arugula and Chinese greens seeds with them hoping for an early spring salad.

A few years back I included recipes in my column. Today, I will share one I found a couple years ago on the Internet when I had so much horseradish to use. I have been making it every year and it is delicious not just with meat but with cheese and crackers or with plain hummus.

Cranberry horseradish sauce

Ingredients:

1 package (340 g) fresh cranberries or you can use frozen whole cranberries

6 ounces (170 g) jar prepared horseradish or homemade horseradish sauce

2/3 cup (133g) sugar

1/3 to 2/3 cup (80-160 ml) water (start with 1/3 cup you can always add some). It will thicken as it cools off.

Preparation:

Stir all the ingredients together in a pot. Simmer on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries are mostly popped, about eight to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce may be cooled, packed into an airtight container, and refrigerated for up to one week. Freezes well.

Bring back to room temp before serving.

***

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year full of hope and blessings. Remember the less fortunate at this time. Be grateful for what you have. I will be back in February entering my 13th year of column writing.

Contact Jocelyne Sewell at 250-558-4556, jocelynesewell@gmail.com.