My friend and neighbor, Sondra Coburn, has a problem, and the culprit is winter. It also goes by the name "cabin fever" and manifests itself in weird and unusual ways.

I think this happens to most of us up here in the Northwest, but I do believe it is 10 times worse for someone who is a gardening enthusiast like Sondra, who can grow anything with the touch of her green thumb, coddling and nurturing her plants like a doting parent with their child.

You know the type; Sondra can name ever single plant in her garden, both in English and Latin.

This is the same person who diligently works the soil until the bitter last moments of the first frost, putting the beds to rest for the winter. She lovingly covers her "babies" with straw and mulch and carefully wraps burlap around their tender trunks and stems, protecting them from the harsh winter storms.
And then, she waits.

Oh, she tries getting involved in other things to pass the time, she really does.
I have watched her put her heart and soul into new adventures, like candy-making and cake-decorating. Both are a far cry from her number one passion, but I have to hand it to Sondra and her tenacity.

She goes full-bore, head-on into these projects, mastering each and every skill required in achieving the perfect result, arming herself with every article, periodical and book ever written on the subject. She gathers all the necessary supplies, just the right "this and that" for the task ahead, just as she does in pursuit of the perfect garden. This is the same drive that steers her towards creating an oasis in her own backyard.

These hobbies help Sondra pass the time. They help her get over the endless gray days and mounting snow. They keep her busy and active, learning and growing. She has found a way to "get through" the winter.

But, if you knew Sondra, like I know her, you would know she is just biding her time until spring. I know her head is swarming with plans and ideas for the future, of making her annual pilgrimage south to her favorite nursery to pick and choose through the newest arrivals and find just the right shade of pink to put in that one certain spot in her beloved garden.

And as far as the rest of us, well, we get the benefits of her new winter hobbies - the tasty little treats of chocolate she has concocted, with the rich creamy centers and chewy bites of nougat. Every little piece is perfectly formed and decorated because this is how Sondra is, putting her all into everything she does.

So as winter moves on she waits and keeps a vigilant watch over her backyard, protecting it from any wandering moose and deer that may just have the audacity to nibble on any of her prized bushes.

And heaven help them if one tries!