Winter Solstice for the plants in Lancaster Co PA

I often use this blog as a sort of garden journal.  It helps me to know when it might be time to harvest something that is down in the woods or a car ride away.  It also reminds me of the weird years.  This is one of those.  I walked around looking at what was going on out there.  I still want to get down into the woods and check on some of the early spring plants but it's been very wet.  Hopefully it will just get cold the way it is supposed to, and that will be that.
Here are some of the things that I found to be unusual at this time of year:

Calendula ready to bloom

Nettles have never stopped sending up baby plants since the weather cooled.

The catnip is taking over a section of the garden.  Guess we'll be needing it.

I think this is clary sage - maybe borage - but there are many similar babies coming up in the area where both live in the garden.

Poor confused gooseberry.

The thyme is lush and beautiful!

This is chickweed overtaking small 2 or 3 year old firs.  Chickweed really seems to love conifers.

Chocolate peppermint.

There is always at least one violet in the side yard.

Native foxglove is very happy with this weather.

Daffodils.  They'll be back.

I didn't include the comfrey that continues to put out leaves that are then frost burned, then more new ones each time we see the sun.
I didn't include the mugwort that is coming up everywhere.  Or the tiny leaves on the elderberry bushes.

We are all aware of the many bugs and viruses that just keep going around and around, unphased by the meager cool breezes.  I don't want to think about ticks, mosquitoes, and stink bugs.  I hope it will get very cold, very soon.