I had a trash bag in each hand and was headed to our outdoor garbage pail when two very large carpenter bees came flying right towards my head.

“Oh, for the love of…” I ducked and dropped the two bags on the ground.

But the bees weren’t done yet. They swooped around my head, one actually pinging off my forehead. “Hey!” I rubbed the spot as I stepped back. “Steven!” I called to my husband.

He was working in his garden on the other side of the yard. “A carpenter bee just pinged off my head!” I cried.

Steven put down the hose he’d been using to water the tomato plants and walked over to where I was standing. I was still rubbing my forehead.

“They must have drilled some holes in the fence.” He went over to inspect the wooden fence that surrounded where we kept the garbage pails.

“Well, that’s nice for them.” I pointed to the garbage bags laying on the ground by his feet. “Can you toss them in the pail for me please?”

Steven grabbed the two bags with one hand, opened the lid to the can and tossed them in all while the carpenter bees swooped around him.

“Can they sting?” I asked as I stayed a safe distance away.

“The females can but they don’t usually.” He began examining the fence. “Here you go! I found a couple of places where they’ve drilled their holes. They’ve probably already laid their eggs.”

“Okay, so how do we get rid of them?” I stepped back further and watched them circle the garbage pail.

“Well, I guess I could cover up the holes.” Steven looked over at fence.

“Perfect! The sooner the better!” I was headed back to the kitchen door when Steven called over to me.

“You know they’re great pollinators.”

I stopped and turned around, I’m sure he could see the look of surprise on my face. “Are you serious?”

I looked at him standing there with the two carpenter bees circling his head while he was looking at his garden.

He nodded his head. “I am.”

I looked over at his garden too. He’d been spending hours planting and tending it for months now.

I took a deep breath. “So you’re not worried about the damage they’re doing to the fence?”

“It’s a couple of little holes right now.”

I started to laugh. “You weren’t saying that last year when they were going after our deck!”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t have a garden then.”

I shook my head as I laughed. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal.”

Steven looked skeptical. “What kind of deal?”

“You can keep your bees but you have to be the one to take out the garbage. I’m not going near those pails with those two idiots buzzing around.”

“Deal!” Steven said.

I turned around and headed back to the kitchen door. “Best deal ever.” I whispered under my breath.

“Did you say something?” Steven called.

“I said love you!” I called over my shoulder.

“Love you, too!”

It was a beautiful day and Alex and I had decided to take a quick trip to the shore. We got in the car and were parked and walking on the boardwalk in less than 30 minutes.

“I love how close we are to the beach.” I said as we strolled along the boards headed towards the inlet.

“We picked the perfect day to come.” Alex said as we reached the end of the boardwalk and found an empty bench to sit on.

“I love this time of year before the boardwalk is packed.” I leaned back on the bench and put my feet up on the metal rail. We watched the fishing boats fighting the tide change in the inlet as they left the marinas and headed out to the open ocean.

We weren’t there very long when I looked over at Alex. “Are you getting hungry?”

Alex nodded his head. “I could eat.”

We walked towards the restaurants along the boardwalk and passed a sign next to the aquarium.

“Oh, this looks good!” I said as I pointed to the sign that said ‘Shark feeding: 1 PM’ I looked at my watch and then over to Alex. “That gives us about an hour to eat. Do you want to catch the feeding time?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Sure. If you want to.”

I smiled and clapped my hands together. “I really do.”

We went to one of our favorite outdoor restaurants and ordered slices of pizza. As we were sitting there enjoying our pizza, I couldn’t help but laugh as we watch the seagulls hop along the sand looking for food and pestering anyone who had anything remotely close to something edible. The sounds of the waves crashing against the shoreline somehow always calm me.

Alex looked at his watch. “We only have ten minutes before the sharks get fed.” he reminded me.

“Seriously?” I scooped up the empty plates and napkins. “That went by quick!”

We quickly walked to the aquarium and bought our tickets.

We went over to the shark tank where a dozen or more people were already waiting.

“I’ve never seen a shark feeding before.” I whispered to Alex. “I’m excited!”

Just then an employee turned on her microphone welcoming us to the aquarium. She cleared her throat and asked. “Does anyone see a hula-hoop floating at the top?”

Everyone looked up as I turned to Alex with a questioning look on my face. “What does a hula-hoop have to do with this?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders.

Finally another patron called out. “I see one!”

“Okay, that means the feeding has begun.”

I looked over at Alex again, still confused.

“That’s how our nurse sharks know where to go to get fed.” She explained.

“I’m sure that’s how it works in the ocean.” I whispered to Alex.

Alex started to laugh.

We watched as the sharks slowly circled the tank every once in a while a chunk of fish attached to a pole was lowered into the water to see if someone would take it.

“It’s like they’re feeding them off a fork!” I whispered again.

“One of our employees up top are taking notes on who’s eating how much.” The employee with the microphone explained.

“Well, this is about as exciting as being at a Weight Watchers meeting!” I said. Alex could hear the disappointment in my voice.

Now a nurse shark was headed to the hula-hoop to take a nibble off that pole.

“Well, what were you expecting?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe a chum bucket dumped from the top?”

Alex started to laugh. “The tank is the size of a swimming pool.”

“Still, it would have been more interesting this.” I sighed as I got up to look at the other displays.

I grabbed my car keys off the counter-top and tore the shopping list off the pad. “I’m going grocery shopping!” I called out. “Last chance if you need something!”

“Wait!” Alex called and came out of his room.

“What did you want to add?” I went over to the drawer to get a pen.

“Let me think about this for a minute.” Alex went over to the pantry and began looking through it.

“Oh, come on!” I cried. “Now you want to check what’s missing? The list has been sitting here for a week!” I tossed the pen back in the drawer.

“I’ll be quick.” He opened the refrigerator.

“Oh my gosh.” I sighed as I leaned against the counter. “You’re reminding me of my Mother!”

Alex looked over at me, his eyebrows furrowed. “How?”

“None of us could get out of the house without my Mom, who was always on the phone, holding up a wait-a-minute finger.” I shook my head with the memory. “You had to stand there while she finished her call, then when she hung up she asked where you were going. Once you told her she’d always say, ‘Be careful it’s slippery out.’” I started to laugh. “Didn’t matter if it was a dry sunny day in the middle of the summer it was always, ‘Be careful it’s slippery out.’”

“Well, she was worried about you.” Alex closed the refrigerator and went to the freezer.

“The catch phrase didn’t bother me.” I cleared my throat until Alex looked over at me. When he did I didn’t have a happy look on my face. “It was the wait-a-minute finger and having to stand there waiting until she was finished with her call that drove me crazy!”

Alex slowly closed the freezer door. “Okay, so I’m going to say I can’t think of anything right now.”

“Awesome.” I tossed the keys up in the air and caught them with one hand. “Then I’m headed to the grocery store. I’ll be back in about an hour.” I opened the front door then looked back at him. “If you remember anything else you want just text me.” I was on the front porch and Alex was standing in the doorway.

“Okay. I’ll lock the door for you.” He was watching me as I walked to the car.

“You can try to text me but remember I don’t always check my phone at the store so you have a fifty-fifty shot.” I clicked the key fob to unlock the car. Looking back at the house I could see that he was still standing in the doorway.

“Did you remember something you wanted me to put on the list?” I called.

“No, I just wanted to tell you to be careful it’s slippery out!”

I couldn’t help but laugh as he waved and closed the door.

I was sitting on the couch reading a book when my son Alex came into the room holding a package of chicken breasts. “Hey, do you think you can show me how to cook these?”

I flipped my book upside down on the coffee table so I could save it to the page I was reading. “Sure.” I got up from the couch and took the package of chicken from him. “These are pretty thick chicken breasts.” I headed for the kitchen with Alex following me. “Do you want to bake them whole or butterfly them and saute’ them in a little olive oil?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. What do you usually do?”

I placed the package on the counter and reached for a cutting board. “I usually do a butterfly cut, pound them a little thinner and saute’ them.”

“Okay that sounds good to me.” Alex stood next to me as I cut the chicken breasts and left them on the cutting board.

“Can you grab me the plastic wrap from the drawer and the meat mallet from over there?” I pointed to the drawer before I turned the faucet on with my forearm so I could wash the raw chicken off my hands.

“Sure.” Alex got the items and placed them on the counter.

I placed the chicken breast between the plastic wrap and began pounding them flatter with the mallet. “Can you go grab me the olive oil?” I brought the cutting board, with the chicken still on it, over to the counter next to the stove.

Opening the drawer I pulled out a skillet and place it on the burner.

Alex handed me the oil and I swirled a thin layer on the bottom of the pan before turning on the burner.

I placed the chicken into the pan and turned around to ask Alex to get out some tongs when I realized he wasn’t in the kitchen anymore.

I turned the stove off and went down the hall to his bedroom. Peeping my head around the corner of the doorway I could see him sitting on his couch scrolling through his phone.

“Excuse me!” I stood in his doorway with my hands on my hips. “Didn’t you just ask me to show you how to cook chicken?”

Alex looked up, a confused look on his face. “Did I?”

“Yes.” I was nodding my head. “You most certainly did.”

“Whoops.” Alex got up and tucked his phone in his front pocket of his jeans. “Sorry about that.”

As we both headed back to the kitchen I looked over at him. “When you asked me to ‘show’ you how to cook chicken, you really meant would I cook some chicken for you didn’t you!”

Alex shrugged his shoulders and started to laugh. “I didn’t do it on purpose!” He placed one hand on his heart with the other hand up in the air. “Seriously! I swear!”

I shook my head and started to laugh. “So, what just happened?”

“I’m going to say old habits die hard.”

I turned the burner back on, reached into the drawer and grabbed the tongs and handed them to Alex. “It’s all you now!” I stepped away from the stove and leaned against the counter.

Alex clicked the tongs together and looked at the chicken sizzling in the pan. “Alright. I’ve got this.”

My husband Steven and I were driving down the road when I couldn’t help but smile as I pointed up into the trees. “The wisteria’s in bloom!” I cried.

Steven looked up at where I was pointing. “I wonder how long it will take it to kill all those trees?”

“What?” I looked over at him confused. “I think it looks beautiful.” I looked back at the grape-like clusters of lavender petals draped over several trees.

“Sure it looks beautiful now but those vines will strangle all those trees in a few years.”

“Oh, come on!” I cracked open my window hoping I could smell a hint of their sweet fragrance. “They remind me of a sweeter smelling lilac.” I looked back over at Steven. “It’s one of my favorite childhood memories, standing under the arbor that was out behind the kitchen. The wisteria was so thick that it could be raining out and you wouldn’t even get wet!”

Steven was nodding his head. “Well, your childhood memory turned into an incredible amount of work for me trying to keep those vines from getting out of control.”

“Hey, it was your idea to buy my childhood home.” I laughed as I put my window back up. “But you have to admit the wisteria was beautiful when it was in bloom!”

Steven nodded in agreement. “You could smell it as soon as you pulled into the driveway.”

“See, you miss having wisteria, too!”

“Oh, I never said that!” He laughed as he looked over at me. “I swear those vines could grow ten feet over night!” He shook his head and sighed. “I used to spend every day weaving them back into the arbor and pulling them off the nearest trees.”

“But it looked and smelled so beautiful.” I reminded him again.

“It’s not going to happen.” Steven said. We were stopped at a red light.

“What’s not going to happen?” I pretended to look confused.

“We’re not planting any wisteria on our property.”

“Oh, come on!” I cried. “Just a little one?” I held my two fingers an inch apart. “I promise I’ll be the one to keep this one trimmed!”

“I’ve got a better idea.” The light had turned green and we were moving again.

“What?”

“Why not just buy some wisteria perfume?” Steven looked over at me. “Or get a can of wisteria air freshener?”

I had to laugh. “There’s no such thing!”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “I bet Amazon has it.”

“We’ll see about that!” I took out my phone, went to the Amazon site and typed in ‘wisteria perfume’. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I cried. I turned the phone for Steven to see. “They really have it!” I retyped ‘wisteria air freshener. “They’ve got that too!”

“Told you.” Steven nodded his head.

I was looking back at my phone not able to keep the amazement out of my voice. “Who knew?”

Steven started to laugh. “Clearly I did!”

My son Alex and I were pulling into our favorite park when we drove by a pond with a beautiful weeping cherry tree, in full bloom, along its bank.

Across the pond was a woman sitting in front of an easel, painting the reflection of the weeping cherry that was bouncing off the surface of the pond.

“Oh, my gosh! I’ve always wanted to do that!” I cried as I tried to get a peek at how far she’d gotten with her painting.

“You want to come to a park, set up an easel and start to paint?” Alex looked at me. “With everyone watching you?”

I began to shake my head and started to laugh. “Absolutely not!” I cried. “That would never happen. I can’t have people looking at me like that!” I pulled into a parking space, turned off the car and looked over at Alex. “I did do a paint-and-sip once.” I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s down in my office. It’s a beach scene with the waves crashing along the shoreline.” I had to laugh. “If you look at it from across the room it doesn’t look terrible.”

“So why don’t you try painting again?” Alex asked as he opened the door and stepped out next to the car to do some stretches.

“Because I wasn’t very good at it.” I said as I climbed out of the car.

“You only did it once!” Alex looked at me over the roof of the car.

“Most of that painting was done by the people sitting next to me. I kept having to ask for help.” I shook my head sadly. “I clearly don’t have a gift.”

“You only did it one time!” Alex cried again.

“Exactly!” I walked around the car, clicking the lock button on the key fob “I clearly don’t have a gift for painting.”

We began walking to the path that led through the woods.

“What I’ve really always wanted to be able to do is sketch.” I held up my hands showing him the size of the sketchbook I’d want to have. “Something about this size that I could throw in my purse and take out when inspiration struck.”

“So why don’t you get yourself a sketchbook?” Alex went ahead of me on the narrow path.

“I already know I’m not very gifted in sketching either.” I moved a branch out of the way. “I can barely draw stick figures.” I sighed.

Alex stopped and turned around. “You do realize that everyone that paints and sketches has to practice to get good, right?”

“That’s not true.” I sighed again. “Some people are born gifted. It’s just comes naturally to them.”

“That’s like one in a million people!” Alex laughed. “Everyone else has to practice. Doing it over and over again until they get it right.” He turned around and began walking again.

“But I want to be that one in a million.” I said as I followed him. “I want to be gifted. Where it comes naturally and I don’t have to practice.” I sighed again.

“That’s not how life works!” I could see him shaking his head as he laughed again.

“Don’t I know it.” I caught up to him as the path widened enough for us to walk side by side. “But wouldn’t it be magical if life did work that way?”

Alex turned his head to look at me. “Well, you can always keep hoping.”

“Exactly.” I looked over at him and nodded my head. “I’m just going to wait and see what my gift is going to be.”

It was a dreary, overcast start of the day. I was at the kitchen sink filling the kettle with water when my son Alex came into the room.

“Morning!” he said as he came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“Morning to you, too!” I turned off the water and put the kettle on the stove. “You know, even though it’s overcast today it’s still beautiful out. Don’t you think?”

Alex looked over at me and shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, it’s not Winter anymore. That’s all that matters to me.”

“Exactly!” I pointed out the window. “By the way, have you seen all the bright colors out there?”

Alex looked confused. “What bright colors?”

I went over to the window and pointed to our back yard. “Look at how brilliant the yellow is on the daffodils!” I pointed to our backyard neighbor. “I can’t believe what a bright magenta their azaleas are!” I clapped my hands together and couldn’t help but smile. “I swear, I feel like someone who is color blind and puts those glasses on so they can see color for the very first time!” Even I could hear the excitement in my voice.

Alex had a concerned look on his face as he looked over at the kettle on the stove. “Exactly how many cups of tea have you already had this morning?”

“Oh, come on!” I had to laugh. “It’s been months of looking outside and only seeing different shades of gray! Aren’t you happy to finally be able to see all this color?”

“Clearly not as excited as you.” Alex laughed as he went to the cabinet to get a coffee mug.

I looked back out the window. “I’d forgotten the neighbors over there even had a magnolia tree.”

I looked back at Alex. “It’s such a beautiful shade of pink!”

Alex began making his coffee. “Yup, it’s pink alright.”

“You know,” I turned around and leaned against the counter. “When we had to take down the Japanese maple in the front yard last Fall I was really upset.”

Alex looked over at me, confusion crossing his face again. “Wasn’t it half dead?”

“Yes.” I shrugged my shoulders. “But that’s not the point.”

“It isn’t?”

“Well, yes it is.” I agreed. “But what I meant was I didn’t realize how much I was going to miss that pop of color in the Spring with its crimson leaves.”

“So why don’t you plant another one?”

I looked over at Alex and smiled. “You know that’s really a great idea!” I went into the living room to look out the front window. Alex followed me, taking a sip of his coffee. I looked up and down the street. “But maybe not a Japanese maple this time.”

Alex shook his head and laughed again. “You were just saying how much you miss that tree!”

“I know but everyone has one of those trees on their front lawn.” I pointed out the window as I looked back at Alex. “The developer must have planted them when they first built this development.”

“So what do you want to plant instead?”

“Something that has a brilliant Spring color.” I said as I sat down on the couch and picked up my phone. “Oh, this is going to be the fun part!” I typed in flowering-trees-in-New-Jersey-that-are- deer-resistant. I looked over at Alex and grinned. “I can’t wait to see what I get to choose from!”

My son Alex and I were headed out to grab something to eat. While I was locking the front door I couldn’t help but hear the mockingbird at the top of our holly tree singing away.

We both stopped to listen to him. “He doesn’t stop for a breath.” I said as the bird went from one song to another seamlessly.

“Tell me about it.” Alex sighed as he began shaking his head. “He’s right outside my bedroom window and he’s non-stop!”

“How long has he been in the holly tree?”

“Weeks!” Alex began walking to the car. “From first thing in the morning until sunset!”

I walked down the steps following him to the car. “Well it’s Spring. He’s probably calling out for a mate.”

“Well, I hope he doesn’t find one.” Alex said as he got in the car and fastened his seat belt.

“Hey, that’s not very nice.” I scolded him as I started the car and the radio began to play.

“Okay, I’ll correct that.” He leaned forward and turned the radio off. “I hope he doesn’t find one in our yard.” He leaned back and looked over at me. “How’s that?”

“I guess that’s better.” I put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway. “You know, mockingbirds are one of the birds that can recognize faces.” I put the car in drive and looked over at Alex. “So don’t think you’re going to be able to chase him away because he’ll come after you.” I warned.

“Don’t worry I’m not going to do anything mean.”

I looked over at him raising my eyebrows. “Like when you put the rubber snakes in the holly tree to stop the robins from nesting in it?”

Alex laughed. “Oh, yeah. I forgot about that!” He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “It didn’t work. The robins nest in that tree every year!”

“You certainly have a lot of complaints about the holly tree.” We were almost at the bagel store.

“Only in the Spring.” He corrected me. “Because it’s right next to my bed!”

“It’s only a few weeks until the babies leave the nest.”

“How would you like to get woken up every morning by baby robins screaming to be fed?” He looked over at me as I pulled into the parking lot. “I used to think the robins were a pain but now that the mockingbird has claimed the tree it’s worse! He doesn’t take a breath between songs!”

“It won’t be much longer.” I reasoned.

“How do you know?” Alex countered.

I parked the car and looked over at him. “Actually I don’t.” I admitted. “But try and look on the bright side.”

Alex didn’t look impressed with what I was about to say. “What bright side?”

“At least it’s not a catbird that just yells.” I tried looking hopeful. “The mockingbird at least sings.”

“That’s the bright side?” Alex laughed.

“Well, that and lunch is on me today.” I gave him a quick smile.

Alex smiled and nodded. “That could definitely help.”

“Oh my gosh! Isn’t this the cutest thing ever!” I was holding up a tiny wooden hummingbird house that I’d just taken out of the delivery box.

My son Alex came over to look at it. “It sure is tiny.”

I looked out the kitchen window, trying to decide where I wanted to hang it in our backyard.

Alex took the birdhouse out of my hand to take a closer look. “Exactly how does the hummingbird get in here?”

“What?” I looked over at Alex. “What do you mean how does he get in?”

Alex pointed to the depth of the birdhouse. “It’s beak wouldn’t even fit in here.”

I took the birdhouse from him. “I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe they back in?”

Alex started to laugh. “Are you serious?”

“No.” I took my phone out of my pocket and held it up to Alex. “I’ll just Google how hummingbirds use birdhouses.” I tapped away. “Oh come on!” I cried as I shook my head in disbelief. I looked back at Alex. “They don’t use birdhouses at all! They make their nest high up in a tree using dandelion down, moss, and hold it all together with spider silk!”

“Spider webs?” Alex looked surprised. “Why?”

I scrolled further in the article. “Because they need the nest to be able to expand as the babies get bigger.” I nodded in agreement. “That seems smart.”

“How are they finding spider webs?” Alex asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Probably the same way I do.” I laughed. “By unexpectedly walking through one and windmilling my arms to get it off of me!”

“They have wings.” Alex laughed.

“You know what I meant.” I was still laughing as I picked up the hummingbird birdhouse from the countertop.

“So now what are you going to do with it?” Alex asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m going to go out and hang it up in one of our trees.”

“But you just said they won’t use it.” Alex looked confused.

“Hey, I have a fairy door at the base of a tree. Do you really think I’m expecting a fairy to use it?” I looked at him with my eyebrows raised. “I don’t care if they use it or not.” I headed for the back door. “It’s super cute and I’m hanging it up.”

I was just getting ready to go out the door when my husband Steven came into the room. “What’s going on?”

“Mom’s hanging a hummingbird birdhouse out in the back yard.” Alex was at the door watching me walk across the deck headed for our woods. “Even though she just found out that hummingbirds don’t use birdhouses!” He called out to me.

I held the birdhouse up over my shoulder for both of them to see. “Don’t care!” I called back. “It’s super cute!”

“Why do they even make hummingbird birdhouses if the birds don’t use them?” I heard Steven ask.

“Because people like me will buy them because they’re…”

“Super cute.” Steven finished my sentence.

“Exactly!” I was busy hanging it from a branch. When I was finished I stepped back and looked over at my guys. “Can you see it from there?”

Alex and Steven nodded.

“Perfect!” I couldn’t help but smile as I walked back to the house.

I was out in our back yard filling the bird feeders with seed. I looked over at the pile of dirt the backhoe had created when my husband Steven’s garden was being installed last fall.

“Oh my gosh.” I whispered. “I can’t believe they made it!” I cried out when I saw the miniature daffodils I’d planted last spring were blooming right in the center of the dirt mound.

I put the bag of bird seed down and went over to take a closer look.

“What made it?” Steven asked as he opened his garden gate and walked over towards me.

I was pointing to the delicate blooms. “I planted them last spring! I thought I’d lost all the flowers I’d planted over here when the backhoe dumped the extra dirt from the garden over them.”

Steven looked surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me you planted flowers there?” He bent down and brushed a few clumps of dirt away from the stems. “I could have dug them up and replanted them somewhere else!”

“Last fall I had no idea where the bulbs were.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I figured I’d just plant some more when we cleaned this mess up.” I bent over and picked up a few rocks that were sticking up from the dirt hill. Walking over to the rock lined path we had in the woods that led to our shed, I called over my shoulder. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and the Lily-of-the-Valley will pop through the dirt hill, too.” I tossed the rocks with several other smaller rocks.

“Oh, man.” Steven sighed. “I forgot about the Lily-of-the-Valley.”

I walked back to where Steven was still brushing dirt clumps away from the daffodils.

“I’ll try again with them, too.” I look over at him and smiled. “This time I’ll plant them closer together. They looked silly six inches apart.”

“Well, aren’t they suppose to spread?”

“Yeah, but for some reason mine didn’t.” I shrugged my shoulders again. “I never said I had a green thumb.”

Steven laughed as he looked over at his garden, where he’d just planted some lettuce and spinach. “Is that a subtle hint that you’re not planning on helping me in the garden?”

“Do you really want my help?” I had to laugh. “I’m guessing you don’t remember my tomato plants, a few years back, where I taped the drooping stems to the spindles of the deck?”

Steven nodded his head. “That’s true maybe you should stay away from the growing season.” He looked over at me. “How about when it’s time to pick the vegetables?”

It was my turn to nod my head. “That sounds like something I can handle.”

Steven picked one of the daffodils and stood up. “Sorry about your flowers being buried.” He said as he handed the flower to me.

I smiled as I took it from him, held it up to my nose, and inhaled. “Not much of a scent but they’re so beautiful.” I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking back towards the bird feeders to finish filling them. “I haven’t given up hope for the Lily-of-the-Valley yet!” I called as I held up the daffodil. “These survived!”