So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

~ John Lennon

On this, Christmas weekend, I would like to thank my loyal readers for reading this new weekly e-letter. I enjoy writing The Weeding Gnome rants very much. It’s therapeutic at times. Thank you for listening!

As you might have noticed, I do also enjoy talking and writing about new plants. We really are setting the stage for introducing sustainable fashion for the world to plant and we couldn’t have done that without your support.

I look forward to many more, exciting new plants in 2010.

And please keep the comments flowing because I enjoy them so.

I received a fantastic, fact-filled rebuttal to last week’s issue. Fascinating, well researched information about how ethanol can be grown sustainably and if it is, how it will be a valuable source of green energy in the future. I will post excerpts from this in next week’s issue.

I would like to leave you with heartfelt holiday wishes and to tell you a bit more about Christmas Rounds, the most exciting night of the Christmas month in the life of gnomes.

“Because gnomes are nocturnal, Christmas celebrations begin at nightfall on December 25. This is the best-loved night of the year because this is the time of Christmas Rounds.

“On Christmas, the entire gnome family bundles up and goes out into the cold in search of animals who are having trouble getting through the winter.

“Before Christmas rounds begin, families pack baskets of nuts, fruits, and cakes to give to the hungry animals. Then the family – mother, father, and twins, for gnomes always have twins – trudges happily through the snow, singing carols and watching for signs of life.

“All animals know the sweet sound of gnomes singing in the winter could mean a tasty treat or a helping hand. One by one or two by two they come out of the woods and warrens, nooks and nests.

“In fact, lots of animals look forward to Christmas rounds almost as much as gnomes do. Mice, weasels, and stoats are particularly fond of making paper lanterns that they carry on Christmas night to signal to gnomes that they are welcome visitors.”

Friends draw near.
Come out! Come here!
It’s time for Christmas Rounds.
Food for all,
Both big and small
Together. Christmas Rounds!
Kindness and A helping hand
Are yours on Christmas Rounds.

~ A Gnome’s Christmas

Merry Christmas from Plants Nouveau and…
Happy Weeding.

Angela Treadwell Palmer
President, Plants Nouveau