What an amazing time of year ...

I have this really amazing husband.  He drops me off at the flower nursery and goes home, feeds the cats, cleans the dishes and tidies up a little until I call him to come and pick me up.  Fortunately our nursery is less than 10 minutes away.

Today (Tuesday before the long weekend here in Canada) was my "go pick up the annual flowers day".  There is NO way in hell that I want to be ANYWHERE near the place this weekend.  They have police there directing traffic, it gets so bad.

ANYWAY ..... we grabbed a bite to eat, then it was off to the nursery.  I had a plan.  I had a list.  I pretty much knew what I was going to put with what and then when I saw that a lot of the plants that I wanted to use were $1.99 per plant instead of 4 for $1.39, I changed my mind.  I have no idea what I'm going to plant where.  Well ... that's not entirely true but it's pretty close.  I have a TON of plants that I haven't decided what to do with.  But I'm thrilled.  And it was about $200 less than last year so I'm REALLY thrilled 'cause just can't justify spending a ton of money on flowers right now.

So I got home, brought all the plants to the potting bench area, and then went on my nightly tour of the gardens.  It's my decompression time.  I can't believe how amazing everything is looking.  This is my 8th season gardening.  And it's pretty much where I want it to be.  For now.  We gardeners are an odd lot ... we like to change things up a lot.  We'll see what happens next year.

Before my mom got really sick, she always said she wanted to be buried with her family in a cemetary.  I used to tease her that I was going to scatter her ashes beneath the lilac bush since it was one of her favourite flowers.  She acted all shocked but then started to tell people that's what I was going to do.  So, after she died (actually it was about 8 months or so later), I scattered her ashes right beside the lilac bush.  And now I also have a red climbing rose on the other side of her (another one of her fav flowers).  I gotta tell you, they are both doing AMAZINGLY!  The lilac is about to open (it's a later bloomer) and the rose is looking so lush.  So I stopped and said hello to her.  I think both my parents would be very proud of everything that we've done outside.  Especially the gardens, but even the deck and pergola, the trellis walls (mom loved it ... I think we put the first one up the summer after dad died).

Did I mention the robin family that has made a next on our downspout where it attaches to the house?  It's so much fun.  And I saw my first Baltimore Oriole in my neighbourhood on Sunday.  And a couple of goldfinches tonight do a fly-by.

I know not everyone is into gardening. But for those of us who live in an area that changes seasons, you appreciate the beauty of flowers since we are covered in snow too much of the time. 

It's so important to stop and literally smell the roses.  Or the lilacs.  Or the bearded iris.  Whatever strikes your fancy.  We all need to take a few minutes each day, stop what we're doing, take a deep breath, and just be.

Here's to an amazing summer full of friends, family, great food, cold bevvies and to my wonderful blogging family.

Cheers!

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