Notebook in the Pocket

Here is an excellent quote about gardening for these dark winter days, from William H. White's Gardening for the South (1857). the book can be downloaded free in PDF from Google Books.

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It is difficult to acquire this knowledge by reading or simply looking on. It is easiest and most pleasantly gained with implement in hand and a notebook in the pocket. The readier way of understanding the instructions of the books, is to put them into practice. He who thus heartily enters into the performance of horticultural operations, will be fully rewarded by our good old mother earth with health, profit, and pleasure. In health, for not only does the garden yield a choice and wholesome variety of fruits and vegetables, most salutary for daily food, but the exercise afforded in moving the fresh soil, and the interest excited by the diversified operations of the garden,are still more salutary. In profit- but more of that hereafter. In pleasure- for what is more delightful than to watch the daily developments of that which our own hands have planted, cultivated, and sheltered- or to witness, as the skilled gardener will do, the constantly improving condition of his soil, or to partake of the daily succession of choice vegetables and luscious fruits brought to perfection by his skill and care, or to enjoy the more spiritual and refined pleasures of landscape and flower gardening where the eye is charmed with the greenness and breadth of lawns grouped with all rare and magnificent trees, or with parterres gay with brilliant colors and profuse with beautiful and perfect forms.

If that doesn't make you get out your notebook and plan, nothing will.