by Laura Chalus, CEO, Tulsa Garden Center at Woodward Park

On this cold and foggy country morning, leading up to the most bizarre Thanksgiving ever, I find myself reflecting on more than just the age-old cranberry sauce dilemma (whole berries - hands down). At this time of year when we are bombarded with reminders to practice thankfulness each day, isn’t it family which tops our collective lists? But what to do if you can’t be with family right now?

Admittedly, over the past months I have found much reassurance and kindness with those people with whom I have a set of shared beliefs, even if the only interactions I have with these kindred spirits may be on social media. I believe most all of us right now feel like we’ve been through a battle, and we’re so war weary that there are days when it just seems to be too much. So how do we find meaningful connections with others when we can’t be face-to-face?

For me, I have found social media to be a great comfort lately, especially so for the gardening-related pages I visit which spotlight horticultural education and sharing. Some of the more active and interesting Facebook sites I gobble up each day include the Oklahoma Wild Mushroom Enthusiasts with 5,600 followers, Oklahoma Wildcrafting with 4,600 followers, and the Oklahoma Native Plant Society with 10,000 followers. Although once in a blue moon you might run into one of those ever-so-helpful know-it-alls whose comments make you frown, for the most part the members are fun and engaging, especially for newbies.

In fact, one of the more fascinating things I’ve learned this year is the existence of frost flowers. Also called frost ribbons, ice flowers, and rabbit ice, these belong to the domain of the early mornings during late fall and early winter. These flowers are fanciful ribbons of delicate white ice crystals that grow from the base of plants on cold nights when the sky is clear and the air cold. Oftentimes these ribbons of ice occupy the basal 6 to 8 inches of the stem but occasionally they will form 18 to 24 inches up the stem.

Usually frost flowers are most abundant in low-lying sunny areas along streams or roadside ditches. Abundant soil moisture seems to be necessary for their formation. These ephemeral beauties vanish with the first warming rays of the sun. If conditions are right the flowers may reappear on the same plant stems on other days, but the display gets shorter and closer to the ground as the number of freezing cycles increases (University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service website, Plant of the Week).

I encourage everyone to use social media as a tool to learn and grow… and also to watch videos of adorable baby animals of course! Whether you’re interested in knitting, woodworking, or basket weaving, you can seek out great people who love what they do and who are willing to share their knowledge and passion with others. And although I don’t currently have time to learn these particular three skill sets (yet), I do very much enjoy seeing my friends on social media who are doing just that to spectacular results. You go, Friends! Good for you!

So take a deep breath, turn off the news, and cling to a steaming mug of your favorite winter beverage while you search for a learning experience which will keep your mind moving in a positive direction instead of ruminating on all that is bad in the world. “But if there’s love, dear... those are the ties that bind, and you’ll have a family in your heart, forever. All my love to you, poppet, you’re going to be all right...bye-bye.” - Robin Williams (from Mrs. Doubtfire)

THIS ARTICLE IS FROM IN THE GARDEN, TULSA GARDEN CENTER’S QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION. TO SEE THE FULL ISSUE, CLICK HERE.