I use to have a rule that stated: No peeking at the catalogs until after Jan 1. I would put them all in a pile and just let them sit there until all the holiday stuff was over.

No more. For one thing they keep arriving earlier and earlier each year. #2 I'm already sick of winter even though it hasn't officially started. Heck, a week ago I was picking lettuce in my garden and now we're covered in ice and it got down to 12 F last night. Yep, I've been reading through them each evening curled up in front of the space heater with a cup of tea. Can't help it.

Kevin

I don't get paper catalogs in the mail any more but just love browsing the seed company websites, making lists of seeds I'd like to try growing & wondering where the flowers will make the most impact in the garden. I also harvested a lot of seeds from my own perennials that I will winter sow next month & well into the dark, cold days of January & February.

It gets hot and humid in Central Virginia, zone 7 in July/August, so I'm pretty burned out with gardening by then. But October and November comes around with cool and sunny days. My garden enthusiasm reawakens and out comes my catalogs. I dig out a tablet with blue grid lines I use to draw up changes to my perennial beds and start to think and dream, along with a hot cup the tea you mentioned. Happy Gardening!