It’s the little things that make a difference. Sometimes, though, we are so focused on big things happening that we ignore awesome little things around us. A few weeks ago, I left before dawn to drive down to Miami for a plant pickup. There isn’t much to do while driving a big noisy truck. Even listening to music is tough, so I contented myself with just watching and thinking. As I made my way down towards Port Charlotte, the sun began to rise. Wow. It was amazing. The colors in the sky as the sun peeked over the horizon were just stunning.

After seeing this amazing sight, I thought, “I won’t see anything else today that is that cool.” But I was wrong because as I crossed Alligator Alley on this chilly morning, I got to see piles of alligators. Kim and I have crossed the state a couple of times recently, but in the summer the alligators aren’t out looking for warmth and we have been unable to spot any. On this morning, every little piece of land along the water was just a tangle of bodies, trying to soak in the sun. Being up high in the truck allowed me to see them really well. I couldn’t have asked for a better morning, with a breath-taking sunrise and a little nature-watching.

Everywhere around us, there are little things that we often overlook. We don’t always stop and smell the roses quite the way we should. With spring right around the corner, I’m planning to soak in all the amazing little things in my garden. Veggies sprouting, caladiums emerging, and of course I’ll stop to smell the roses.

If you are excited for this year’s veggie garden, you aren’t alone. Next week, we’ll premiere our veggie gardening online seminar, and we’ll have a question-and-answer video, too, where we take on your specific questions. If there is something you want to know about veggie gardening, send it in and we’ll do our best to answer it for you. In the meantime, stop and smell the roses and enjoy the little things in life. It is what makes everything worthwhile.