Now, when you read those words, think Robin Williams in Good Morning, Vietnam. That’s how I’m typing it. I’m sitting here munching my two-scoops-of-raisins-variety of Raisin Bran — I’m out of oatmeal bake — and feeling like Gooooood Morning, Mondaaay! As for BTO, you have to read all the way to the bottom of this post. Grin.

Our long weekend was the weekend prior — Victoria Day weekend. It’s also known as the May long weekend and is, for us, the beginning of summer. If you live here, you’re likely to do one of two things on this weekend — planting or opening the cottage. This means you’re either standing in a long line at the nursery or sitting in a long line on the highway. It’s a weekend of lines. At the end of the day, if you’re lucky, you get fireworks.

We managed to miss the long weekend madness this year by 1) not owning a cottage and 2) having whacked away at our gardening while the vacationista was home. This was fortunate because the long weekend was so cold, we lit a fire in the fireplace and kept it going the entirety of Sunday and Monday. I like to think of it as our own, personal, contained fireworks.

This weekend, my scattered family is celebrating Memorial Day weekend, of course, and I miss being with them. Sniff. How are you marking it?

I took these quick shots with my phone camera, while working in the garden. Yeah, everybody has their phone camera handy while working in the garden. Right?

In the upper left is some candy strip creeping phlox we just planted. We would like it to creep — a lot. In the upper right is a clump of common violet. We have this all over the garden. It’s such happy ground cover in spring. Bottom left is the dwarf lilac that we planted last year. It’s just beginning to bloom and is a mass of fragrant blossoms. It’s one of my fave flowers. Bring me a bunch of lilacs and I’m a gonner. Bottom right is one of many hostas just beginning to unfurl. This is my favorite part. That one right there is going to be about three feet wide and deep by the time it fully opens and blooms.

Any other gardeners out there? Share your fave flower.

I’m pumped for writing, but I leave you with this. Boxing the Octopus is a blog I visit often. I find it intelligent and worth the read. I’m sending you over there today. Yesterday, Joni Rodgers blogged on How To Feel Miserable As An Artist. Go. Read. While you’re there. Look around. It’s worth it.

Now, I’m off to have my own non-miserable writing day. Thanks, Joni.

Elen