I really enjoy gardening, but I think my favorite time of year is winter. The days start to slowly extend their daylight, which makes me just a little bit happier every evening.

Snow is also beautiful, especially when we get a lot like we did in January and February. I like snow’s pristine whiteness and the untouched beauty it creates in my backyard and garden area. When snow covers all the brown grass and empty beds, it becomes a sparkling blanket that graciously hides any imperfection.

My favorite time for snow to fall is at night. The sky turns pale pink, and outdoor lighting is not necessary.

Because I am retired, I normally don’t have to worry about driving in snow, but I have always loved shoveling snow. Years ago, I bought a lightweight metal-edged shovel with an ergonomic handle. This “right” tool makes every shoveling experience easy and enjoyable!

I ensure my driveway is safely walkable, properly clear the fire hydrant area, and then I help the neighbors with their snow removal opportunities. It doesn’t get much better than fresh air, daylight and physical activity. At least that’s how I see it.

The week of Feb. 16, we had warmer weather and some rain, which caused my property’s imperfections to emerge from their blanketed fortresses of solitude. A row of daffodils started to peek out from the mulch, and the not-yet-cut-back mums started to show new growth. This occurred just in time for the next snowfall, which once again covered everything with the sparkling, white blanket.

At the end of January, I adopted a kitten. As Chester has started to explore the house and particularly the sunroom, I imagine his surprise and wonder at seeing the yard go from pristine white to brown grass and back again.

Since this is his first winter, does he understand why things change? What does he like better — the white snow or the brown grass? What will he think of spring and the changes it will bring? If it doesn’t involve chasing balls or finding treats, will he even care?

In addition to supporting another busy distribution month, our dedicated group of pantry volunteers have been date checking and sorting the hundreds of pounds of food drive donations we received in February. Our community continues to be extremely generous!

Pantry leadership has also been shopping at local retail stores to supplement the food we have been able to acquire from Second Harvest Food Bank. Jeff, the store manager at the Whitehall CVS, ordered sale-priced cereal for us twice during the past month, which included Great Grains, Raisin Bran and Cornflakes. Caitlyn, a store manager at the Hamilton Street Aldi, twice ordered regular-priced items including chickpeas, kidney beans, pancake mix, pancake syrup and pineapple.

A new food and toiletry source for us has been Feed the Children, located in Bethlehem. We are fortunate to have qualified for this resource to supplement our vegetable, cereal, juice, coffee, condiments, snacks and toiletry offerings for our pantry guests. We also thank Utz Quality Foods for donating hundreds of pounds of snack chips and pretzels that will keep our snack shelf filled for months.

In February, we were fortunate to be able to acquire a very generous amount of fresh onions, carrots, potatoes and apples from Second Harvest to share with our pantry guests. Thank you to our dedicated pantry volunteers who down-packed produce items!

Remember, food donations, reusable shopping totes and paper bags with handles may be dropped off 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays at the REMAX Unlimited office at 1080 Schadt Ave., Whitehall.

If you want your donation to be picked up, or if you prefer to drop your donation directly to the pantry, give me a call at 610-379-6823.

Also, if you are curious about what the pantry looks like, how it operates or if you might be interested in volunteering, give me a call, and I will happily arrange a visit for you.

Enjoy the last days of winter, and have a great spring!

Editor’s note: This column was written by Gwen Herzog, pantry garden chair.