Facebook has been posting our highlights from 2014. That makes me sceptical to say the least - and now to say more...who gave them permission to examine what I post and then, using some metric or other weighted calculation decide these were my best moments in 2014? How did they decide that these posts were representative of what mattered to me? What were the criteria used?

And  assumptions are made here. One, that we want this retrospective of a machine's depiction of what matters to us. Two, that they know us well enough that they can represent our most important moments in 2014. Three, that we post everything about our days each and every day throughout the year.

Pretty heavy assumptions. 

And really, what makes them think that I want to review my Facebook 2014 in the first place? How about asking the users first.

It Never Ends

I glanced at the weather report for the week and there was an ALERT posted for tomorrow.
It's December for heavens sake - I thought this was only supposed to happen in summer - not winter. They should ask me before they have an air quality alert!

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 3 2013...

THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT HAS ISSUED A CODE ORANGE
AIR QUALITY ALERT TUESDAY FOR THE BALTIMORE METRO AREA.

A CODE ORANGE AIR QUALITY ALERT MEANS THAT AIR POLLUTION
CONCENTRATIONS WITHIN THE REGION MAY BECOME UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE
GROUPS. SENSITIVE GROUPS INCLUDE CHILDREN...PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM
ASTHMA... HEART DISEASE OR OTHER LUNG DISEASES...AND THE ELDERLY.
THE EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION CAN BE MINIMIZED BY AVOIDING STRENUOUS
ACTIVITY OR EXERCISE OUTDOORS.

Weather fascinates me; it confuses me; it intrigues me. And I don't understand anything about it. I keep telling myself to take a class in 'weather'. Is that even a subject of study? I know it is hot, cold, wet, dry, freezing, stormy, windy, mild, cloudy (and try to learn about clouds - they are another entire genre), sunny, and Polluted!



Pollution has been a worthy opponent of mine since I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis of the lungs. It has restricted my outdoor activities in warm weather - but winter?!
It is also a heavy hitter causing discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the natural environment. 

I hear it is only going to get worse. Maybe an air quality alert in December is an instance of worse.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Now that Thanksgiving is out of the way, we have 27 shopping days left until Christmas. That's right - 27.  Rather daunting if you are one of the millions who do EVERYTHING on the list. You know what list I am talking about.
Shop Shop, Shop.

• Buy presents for everyone, and then buy some extras for people who you forgot, people who "gift" you, and for people who give parties.
• Dare you give a party as well?
• Buy all the wrapping, ribbon, tags, scotch tape, stickers, etc. for the presents.
• Wrap everything.
• Plan the Christmas meal.
• Shop for the food for the Christmas meal.
• Cook the Christmas meal.
• And don't forget to invite the guests to the Christmas meal.
• Decorate - outside lights, blow-up Santas, wreaths, greens, sparkle lights on the roof...
• Get a tree.
• Find where all the ornaments are stored.
• Decorate the tree and do not forget the tinsel. It is such a pleasant reminder when you are still finding it everywhere in Marcn.
• String the lights on the tree and make sure they are perfectly placed.
• Christmas Cards - store bought or photo made?
• Addresses and stamps.
• Return address stamps, maybe some special ones for the holiday?
• Display the cards that you, in turn, receive. Artfully and visibley. 
• Where is the Christmas china? Find it and display.
• Polish all the silver that you only use once a year.
• Find the Christmas music; did you put it on your iPod?
• Make the 8 different kinds of Christmas cookies for which you have become famous.
• Package the cookies in holiday tins and distribute to family and friends; and don't forget to keep some for yourself. 

All this and more, in just 27 days. Get cracking. You can do it.

And don't forget to have FUN! 

Never enough books, I say!

Some of my favorite books from the past few or more years - what an abundance!

• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (2010)
• Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson (2010)
• The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (2006)
• Stones From the River By Ursala Hegi (1995)
• The Master Butcher’s Singing Club by Louise Erdrich (2005)
• The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver (1989).
• This Boy’s Life: A Memoir by Tobias Wolfe (2000).
• Cronkite by Douglas Brinkley (2013).
• The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathon Lethem (2004)
• Zeitoun by David Egers (2010)
• The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon (2008)
• The Corrections by Jonathon Franzen (2002)
• Empire Falls by Richard Russo (2002)
• The Invisible Circus by Jennifer Egan (2007)
• Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You by Alice Munro (2004)
• The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood (1998)
• Unless by Carol Shields (2003)
• The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha  Mukherjee (2011)
•  Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri (1999)
• All Aunt Hagar’s Children by Edward P. Jones (2006)
• The Echo Maker by Richard Powers (2007)
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2012)

A Gutter is not a Gutter

Like our own bodies, books also have distinct parts; organs, matter, structure, which work together to create and maintain the system we call a book. I don't really think much about this aspect of books when I pick one up to read; just as I don't think much about what makes my feet move or my eyes blink as I go through the day.

Since I love books, I thought I would do a little bit of research and try to map the anatomy of a book. It is certainly beautiful, a piece of art in itself.
The photo here is a wonderful example of the beauty and artisanship that goes into creating a book. It is "A contemporary 15th century binding of brown calf over wooden boards, with two center and four corner bosses." Otto Vollbehr Collection, Library of Congress.

Today's hardcovers certainly suffer in comparison!

So what is there to know about a book? More than I can cover here. So I will just cover some of the basics. Books have a front and back cover - rather prosaic. The cover is part of a unit called the case components, the things that enclose the actual text components of the book. The case also includes the spine which, usually contains all, or some, of four elements  in the following order: (1) author, editor, or compiler; (2) title; (3) publisher; and (4) publisher logo. 

And here is where I will stop because this is all so prosaic. And if I continue I might discourage potential readers from picking up a book!  For me, a book is its 'aboutness,' the font used, the feel of the paper, and all the possibilities waiting for me to begin on Page 1.

Fletcher Knows Best

Baby Fletcher was an MIT wannabe when he was only two. His fascination with all things mechanical was something he seemed to have been born with. Maybe the hard plastic incubator, bright focused lights and all the tubes twisting above his head gave him something to think about his first 10 days of life.
He is fascinated by how things work - how they are engineered. I think he can write the textbook on 're-engineering!' And he always has a better way of doing things. If I start to make a cake, he is quick to show me the error of my ways. I used to think I could out-talk him when these lessons on 'how to do's' but seriously, I just let him take over. And I laugh! It is just amazingly hilarious to let his view of the world take over the day.
And his prowess with all things computer is stunning. HE shows me which remote we need and how to manipulate it when we watch Netflicks, a DVD, and plain old TV. At age 3 he had mastered my iPad which I thought was really brilliant until I realized that:

• When he visited I could no longer use my own iPad;
• He figured out how to change my settings;
• He upgraded his own apps bought on My iTunes account; and
• When he was so sure he could figure out my password that he tried and tried and tried and locked me out of my very own iPad. 

Now he is 6 and his assurance with all things technical is firm. I was telling him that Lester was going to leave him his (Lester's) MIT ring when he (Lester) died. It's this awkward chunk of bronze or dirty gold with a beaver on it. Engineers have no sense of aesthetics. But the MIT guys sure do love their beaver rings.

Anyway, Fletcher looked perplexed and asked me what that meant. So I explained that Lester was a graduate of MIT and the ring was the school ring. So what is MIT - something on TV or maybe a new DVD? No. I said it is one of the best engineering schools in the country. Fletcher just looked at me, no longer amazed that I could be so stupid about him. He said, quite matter-of-factly, "Well, I'm going to the best school." End of the discussion.

Air Quality Alert

The story of my summers here in the Baltimore area:

AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR MONDAY JUNE 21...

THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT HAS ISSUED A CODE ORANGE
AIR QUALITY ALERT MONDAY FOR THE BALTIMORE METRO AREA.

A CODE ORANGE AIR QUALITY ALERT MEANS THAT AIR POLLUTION
CONCENTRATIONS WITHIN THE REGION MAY BECOME UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE
GROUPS. SENSITIVE GROUPS INCLUDE CHILDREN...PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM
ASTHMA... HEART DISEASE OR OTHER LUNG DISEASES...AND THE ELDERLY.
THE EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION CAN BE MINIMIZED BY AVOIDING STRENUOUS
ACTIVITY OR EXERCISE OUTDOORS.

It is tedious, boring, and I don't really take these too seriously anymore. I hate to be confined to my house - House Arrest! Since I cannot see it, smell it, taste it, bad air quality doesn't seem "real" to me. And I am used to how my lungs work (or do not) by now and don't feel much of a sifference if I go outside on days such as today.


Will I regret this down the road a bit? Do I care today!

RETIRED

At long last - I am retired from the world of the gainfully employed! It only took me 47 years to get here. But finally, May 26, 2010, I am retired.

Everyone has been asking me, "What are you going to do?"

Well, why do I have to DO anything! That is my immediate response. I have been doing for decades and it's nice to stop for a bit.

Retired.

adj. (1590) from the verb "retire" (MF retirer to withdraw)

• To withdraw from action or danger.
• To withdraw, especially for privacy.
• To move back; recede.
• To withdraw from circulation or the market.
• To withdraw from one's position or occupation; having concluded one's working or professional career.

Or is it Re-Tire? I become tired again? Weary? Over and over?

Or Re-Tire as in I put different wheels on my car. I retire the car. 

Fun to think about - and now I have all the time in the world! I am RETIRED!

ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

Summer, 2009. Sunshine on the brilliant red monarda. A symphony of birdsong outside my window. Lavender in the breeze flowing in. There is color everywhere. I wake up in the morning and thank god for another day in this amazing world of ours. I am so blessed.

WHY I CANNOT CANNOT

Today's headlines in the NY Times:
A.I.G. Paying $165 Million in Bonuses After Federal Bailout

I have not been able to go to my retirement account since last May and these jokers, on our money, are getting bonuses more than any amount I could have ever saved! I have been saving for 35 years and last years truly thought that I could retire very soon. I had put away a very good amount of money which could conceivably last me through whatever time I have left and leave my children an inheritance as well.

I have barely any of that well earned money left today. Retirement is not in my future. What inheritance? Am I angry - YES! At all of the corporate bailouts by the government. At all of the corporate mismanagement of these government, read taxpayers, funds. At the egregious greed and arrogance of all of these corporate so called managers.

Do I really believe that the $165 M in bonuses that AIG is paying out are critical to keeping skilled employees, aka, corporate honchos? Who are these people and what planet do they really live on? Talk about shock and awe! I am feeling it in a most painful manner. Where is the government here? And what happened to accountability?

I cannot remember a time since Vietnam when I have been so truly disappointed in our government. I understand the economics of the bailouts, but to keep on giving without any sanctions, requirements, oversight? Giving to people who have their private jets, million dollar parties, and absolutely no concept of what life is like for most people in this country?

Life was good but today it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

The Ashland Stories

Tomorrow marks 8 years since Krista died. She would be 25 now if she were still with us. It is so difficult to imagine what she would be like today had she the chance to grow up, to have been a healthy teenager, hanging out with her friends at the Card Shop in Ashland, WI. I loved her Ashland stories. Ashland was her world. It was all she had known for most of her life.
Ashland is at the top of the State of Wisconsin, smack dab on Lake Superior where U.S. Highway #2 and State Highway #13 intersect. It is a very small town with about 8,700 people living there. I only saw it one time, when we buried Krista on one of the coldest, windiest, grayest days of the year. It was vicious out, as if protesting the putting of this young girl into the frozen ground.

She had just turned 17.

She was too young to die.

She lived every moment of her life right to the end. The day before she went into a coma, she made her dad push her in her wheelchair to the grocery store up the street from the hospital in Minneapolis that had become her home over the past 30 months. Winter in Minneapolis and she had to get out, no matter what. She had tubes, ports, hickmans, lines, extending the reach of her body into the infinity of all those chemicals. Just getting out of bed required major strategy. That never stopped her.

I still feel an ache for my girl - it was so painful to be with her and so painful not to be. Acceptance of god's will was hard to come by. But I was blessed to be her aunt and to have spent much of those 30 months with her. And I remember the laughter! We had the best of times and made everyone laugh with us. We had nurses rolling on the floor, doctors trying so very hard to be "doctors" and not laugh with us. It did not work. By the end of the first week, they were hooked, laughing and joking, being the butt of many of Krista's practical jokes. Like the note taped to her toe as she went into another surgery - she labeled the note "footnote." Hard not to laugh even when the message in the note was so very sad. "Please do not intubate me, you do not have my permission."

Krista stood up for herself, asked difficult questions, pestered the medical team, refused to listen, made her own way. It was all she had left, the ability to be her own person, to get up and live, in spite how how the definition of "live" had changed for her. I love her dearly and I miss her. That will never go away.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today

Actually, it was February 7, 1964 when the Beatles touched down at Kennedy Airport in NY. And nothing was ever the same again! 45 years ago, unbelievable!

I was 15 years old and Beatlemania swept through my high school faster and louder than a tornado in Kansas. It was something so phenomenal, so inexplicable, and so very very exciting. I watched them on Ed Sullivan. I saw them 'live'  twice; in performance at Comisky Park (Chicago) and the International Amphitheater (Chicago). Although it really was not "seeing" them; not even "hearing" them. The seating seemed as if it were miles away from the stage and the non-stop screaming of the audience made seeing and hearing wishful thinking. What mattered was being there and that was sufficient.

When I look back on it I am surprised by how quickly the Beatles were over - not their music which is still going strong. But the group itself. I was a senior in college when Abby Road was released. And then, the Beatles as we knew them were no more.

Looking back it all seemed so innocent; ephemeral; young. "She loves you ya ya ya" was certainly a squeaky clean song, and just plain fun. Their lyrics while often quaint, funny, deep, or just plain not to be understood still hold up today and I would take them anytime over the violent, abusive, woman hating lyrics so pervasive in today's music.

I guess a lot of people must feel this way because, it was 45 years ago today, and in the end, we love you ya ya ya ya!

Reading and Readers

I came across an interesting report today about "reading" in America. The National Endowment for the Arts released a report in November 2007, "To Read or Not To Read," which included results about the reading habits of Americans.

The percentage of Americans who reported reading a novel, a short story, a poem, or a play has increased but not to any significant degree. In 2002 the NEA survey found that 46.7% of adults Americans read; in 2008, 50.2 percent. What is important about the data is that this is the first INCREASE in readers since 1980! People, where have you been!

Now another side to this current survey is not so good. Of those who said they read a book in the past year, only 54% of them did so "for pleasure." What we library-speak people call volitional reading.

The first to be blamed for this dismal statistic are parents, teachers, and librarians. Well, it is true that they do have a major influence on the development of a child's reading habits. But many have noted that there are larger social issues going on which discourage adults from reading for pleasure. One reason given is that reading is basically an anti-social activity; we read alone and are thus, not engaged with others. This is not seen as a positive behavior.

Many see reading as frivolous, a waste of time. We could be doing something important such as painting the bedroom or going to a movie, instead of holing up somewhere cosy and reading a good book. Yet the NEA report goes on to note that people who read are also active in other extra-curricular activities such as playing sports, doing volunteer work, or engaging in exercise activities. So how does reading make a person "anti-social" given a reader's propensity to be actively engaged in the world?

OK. I am biased. I am a life-long reader with a personal library of more than 1000 books. I cannot imagine a life without reading, be it a book of poetry, childrens' literature, a really wonderful literary novel, a mystery, magazine, newspaper....get it?! Reading broadens my world; it stirs my imagination and is a source of dreams for my life. It keeps my mind active. It keeps me up to date with what is going on in the broader world beyond my home and work.

Reading is just plain fun! Can you imagine that???

That Time of Year, Again

December 5, which leaves 20 days until Christmas - my favorite holiday ever. Yet, as always, I am not ready, whatever ready means to me at any given moment or in any given year.

Gifts bought - yep
Wrapping accoutrement's ready - yep
Gifts wrapped - nope
Christmas cards - maybe not this year
Outside lights up - nope
Inside decorations up - nope
Tree up and decorated - nope
Christmas eve dinner menu - nope
Christmas cookies - oh god....
Fall decorations down and put away - nope
Spring chandelier decorations put away - nope
Papers graded and grades submitted - nope

I alternate between sheer anxiety meltdown and pretending that Christmas is really quite a long way off. And hover endlessly in a state of stasis where absolutely nothing moves and all thoughts are banned. And I am back again, all over again, at the place every year I say I will never be again, and again, and again. I take great pride in my consistency of character!

I am quite actively entertaining the idea that maybe being "ready" in things is not so important. Being ready in spirit may be a more conducive approach to what is generally widely accepted as the most stressful time of the year; take joy in each day, whatever is in it and not worry and fret so much about all of the things I HAVE TO DO! I think that this year I will try to just wake up to the day and walk through it in peace and serenity. Walk through it in gratitude for the all I have been blessed with in my life. Carry the spirit of this beautiful holiday within me, sharing it as I go through another gift of a day. I suspect that a change in my demeanor might invite a more kind and loving approach to the coming 20 days, and maybe even thereafter.

(More) Adventures in Breathing

I recently spent a truly lovely weekend in the hospital, and have I mentioned lately how much I love my lung disease? It has given me much to write about and study and most important of all, it has taken up a considerable portion of my limited discretionary time! This is great as I don’t really have to wonder what to do with it (the spare time).

And Prednisone!!! My drug of choice. Once again it has reared its ugly head.

I was trying to get off of Prednisone (under medical supervision) and had dramatic, painful, confusing, frightening results, which ultimately led to my spa vacation in the hospital. Once again contemplating death by suffocation. But that did not last for more than a nanosecond or two as it is not very useful to contemplate. But the past month spending various numbers of days on different doses of Prednisone, as my physician tried to tinker and adjust and readjust has been a steroid roller coaster.

Huffing and puffing my way through the last month has been discouraging. A year and a half of very high dose prednisone, no improvement at all in my lung condition, and now, serious problems when lowering and getting off of prednisone. I was only off of it completely for a week. That week resulted in an acute adrenal crisis and I had to go back on the drug. Now, I am on a higher dose than a month ago. Breathing hard, constricted inhalations, pain.

Every now and then I just need to get my feelings about lungs and steroids "off of my chest," so to speak! I am really not whining - really. Just "venting?"

And more will be revealed.

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ELECTION DAY 2008

I voted today!

Did YOU???

PAPARAZZI MANEUVERS AT TARGET

When the Baby Girls and I get together, we always make sure to spend some time on practicing our maneuvers for outwitting paparazzi – and time well spent! The Baby Girls, or as some are beginning to call them, the Super Sisters, have outgrown the confines of Syracuse and have quickly begun the road to becoming legends in their own time, in places far and wide, in our global world.

Not surprising. As I mentioned earlier, Cecelia’s last – ultimate – ballet recital was standing room only. Cecelia not only excels on scooter and bicycle, but also is a champion swimmer at her young age. Water ballet, high dives, back stroke; she does them all so well that Michael Phillips has already noted that he is grateful that Olympic swimming is not a coed competition! To think she is only 9 years old!

Olivia’s prowess at soccer is a phenomenon rarely seen on the playing fields. Although only 8 years old, she is being compared to Mia Hamm, Zinedine Zidane, Julie Foudy, even Pele! Olivia is noted for her excellence not only in sports, but further, in the fine arts. From an early age, she has shown shades of brilliance in her colorful and exotic artwork. She works in crayon and markers on newsprint – not a common medium, which sets her work even further apart from the more banal post-modern world. Just as the child Mozart showed evidence of his creativity on piano and violin, Olivia has already revealed her prodigious abilities in piano playing and singing.

Together, the Baby Girls combine the best of their talents. If you have ever had the privilege to see one of their shows, you know of what I speak! Their most recent foray onto the stage of musical comedy was an original interpretation of “Thing One & Thing Two.” They did set design and costuming as well. It was a delightful and light-hearted; “a clumsy, hilarious, funny show.” They donated all of the proceeds to the literacy program at their city library.

It is understandable that the popularity and fame of the Baby Girls is growing hourly. When we realized this, it was clear that such popularity and fame would include cover stories in People, USA Today, O magazine, appearances on Oprah, the Daily Show, The View, and of course – the paparazzi! That odious subspecies preying on the rich and famous. Always on the lookout for “Stars and Idols.” Cameras loaded and waiting. They make life miserable on a 24-7 basis. In an effort to avoid their noxious ubiquity, stars go to unbelievable lengths to avoid them, to find some private moments in a now-public life.

Knowing that this was soon to be their fate as well, the Baby Girls began to practice avoidance maneuvers at Target. What better place to begin, as the paparazzi already knew that Target is where everyone who is anyone shops! So we drive to a Target and park the car, an unobtrusive navy blue sedan. We altered where we parked on each trial run to see if there was a spot more advantageous for slipping in and out of the store unobserved. Then we assume a pose, hurried, slumped, huddled, together, or apart, varying the pose as well to see if one worked better than the other did. It was such a drag to have to dress down to go to Target. But without a doubt, any of the Baby Girls normal chic, avant garde wear was sure to attract immediate attention. In and out of Target we would go, ever vigilant for any suspicious characters paying more than usual attention to us. Pointing fingers, looks that lasted longer than 3 seconds, looks with giggles, faced wrapped in astonishment, all were clues that time was running out - FAST!

This was becoming a part of life now for the Baby Girls – the practice of avoiding the paparazzi. The Baby Girls extended their maneuvers to locations such as Cheeburger Cheeburger, Nordstrom’s, Barnes & Noble, Costco, Denny’s, and on and on and on.

One day at a local restaurant, it occured to us we had neglected to go into one of our camouflage routines! We quickly scanned the restaurant and then lowered our heads whispering about strategy. It was at that point that the Baby Girls’ father, Michael, asked us what we were doing. Cecelia gave him an exasperated look and said, “We are hiding from the paparazzi,” implying with every word that he had committed an egregious error even asking such a question. Michael had a puzzled look on his face, not knowing what to do next. Then, Olivia, out of nowhere, looked at her father and asked, “What are paparazzi anyway?”

BACK TO SCHOOL

Kent & Raka's Wedding

Kent & Raka were married June 28, 2008 in a very personal and loving Hindu ceremony. This video - while disjointed - features some yportions of the ceremo. It was a blessed and joyous day.

Both light and shadow
are the dance of Love.
Love has no cause;
it is the astrolabe of God’s secrets.
Lover and Loving are inseparable
and timeless.
Although I may try to describe Love
when I experience it I am speechless.
Although I may try to write about Love
I am rendered helpless;
my pen breaks and the paper slips away
at the ineffable place
where Lover, Loving and Loved are one.
Every moment is made glorious
by the light of Love.

Rumi, The Meaning of Love

In Full Bloom

We have been having extremely hot, humid weather lately and it has pushed many of the flowers to bloom early and fast. The bearded, blue flag and Siberian iris went through their panorama of colors 2 weeks ago. The peonies have been and gone, and as always, their fragrance was delicious.
The Stella d'oro day lilies are in full bloom, lemony sumptuous yellows that glow. And I have masses of orange day lilies lighting up the side of my house. All of the roses have already had their first blooms as well. Last week I cleaned up and freshened their soil, fed them and cleaned the leaves and am delighted with all the new buds they have. While working near them yesterday the scent of the opening flowers was so sweet and heady!
I have already harvested the lavender. It bloomed early this year and I have scads of beautiful fragrant lavender buds in shades of blue and purple to keep me and my friends well stocked for the year.

The daisy's are blooming along with all the different varieties of coreopsis that my daughter Megan gave me 2 years ago. They are feathery and fragile in appearance but quite hardy in actual fact. And who knew that yellow came in so many shades! I just love them.
The spider worts are in bloom - huge wavy stalks with delicate flowers of deep purple and magenta. They stand watch over my "dessert" garden; the succulents. Last year many of these died off but they seem to be returning and growing in well this summer. And the hens are being fruitful with chicks!
The blue salvias have already had their first bloom as well. I trimmed them back last week and refreshed their soil. They will continue all summer, lining the front path to the door.

The hummingbirds have moved in to the honeysuckle! At least it seems that way. The honeysuckle is wildly growing and in full bloom on the back deck. It has been glowing sunset shades of orange and yellow for over a month now and it is truly gorgeous. And another treat for the hummingbirds is all monarda! The buds have burst out into redder-than-red tall brilliance creating a tall thick buffet for butterflies and hummingbirds.

And there are more flowers to come! It is such a treat to go out every day and see what has opened up. The fragrances are wonderful and the yard looks like a rainbow! I was reading in one of my gardening books yesterday and there was a Chinese proverb given that gave me a chuckle:

Eat and be happy for a day
Marry and be happy for a year
Garden and be happy for life