I just got in from planting the wildflowers that my Uncle Dicky brought me from Oulu, Wisconsin today.  Yes, I know it’s 10 pm and yes, I know I’m covered in dirt and mosquito bites.  That goes with the territory when you’re planting in the dark.  The story goes like this…

I went to bed last night at 11 feeling quite exhausted from a joyful memorial day weekend and a lot of mulch hauling and didn’t wake up until noon.  Around 4 pm, I went to Somerset to meet Uncle Dicky and pick up the wild lupines and sedum he brought me.  The wildflowers needed to be put in the ground today since they traveled quite a journey in the trunk of his car, but after getting the flowers I didn’t have to come home before going to Brasa to celebrate mother’s day and my mom’s birthday with my family.  So when I got home from dinner at 8:30 pm, I started planting and was really enjoying the quiet summer night while practicing mindfulness.  Until the mosquitos came out a little after 9.  Then I was just digging up the rock hard ground as fast as I could in between swatting at my arms and legs with mud-covered hands.  So this is how I came to be covered in mud and dirt, yet smiling the hugest smile of summer so far.  I believe life is made for the great stories and usually those come from a little bit of joy mixed with a little bit of suffering.  May your summer be filled with as many great stories as mine will be.