Saturdays in the Garden - Wait, What? It's been a whole week already?!

OUTSIDE

Ahhhhh.... I feel surrounded by a sea of lawn mowers.  I'm sure I'll resent the noise pollution soon enough but for now I'm okay with it because it is more than anything the signal that winter is firmly behind us AND that it's a lovely Spring day outside.  

There were thankfully enough breaks in the copious rains this week, that a lot was accomplished in the garden.   I've been eating salads out of the garden and been able to harvest the first radishes which were super delicious.  They are an heirloom variety called Early Scarlet Globe and they are tender, mild flavored and a brilliant pinky red.   Lots of plants got snuggled into their forever home outside this week including: green onions, marigolds, kale, chard, beets, green beans and zucchini. Also my two new climbing roses and a couple of wacky columbines.  I've still got some clean up to do in the yard but it feels livable again after the winter. 

LIFE

Time never flies so fast as when I take a week off from work.  Even with the less than perfect weather, it was a stellar week.  As per usual, I did not get all I was hoping to accomplish done but things at home seem a little more under control and I am definitely feeling more relaxed.   Not exactly excited to be going back to work on Monday but content.

One of the things I wanted to do this week was make up some healthy meal plans and meals to go in the freezer.  One of the biggest challenges to eating well is the fact that 2-3 times a week I don't feel like cooking or really doing any kind of food preparation at all.  So I made some whole wheat pizza dough, some banana pancakes and a couple of soups for the freezer.  I also stocked up at Trader Joe's with tortillas, whole wheat pitas, and whole chickens.  I've really slowly started to use my freezer much more effectively in the last couple of years.  Do you have a favorite trick with the freezer to eat healthier and be more efficient in the kitchen?  More importantly does soup = a meal to you?  I've always liked a soup, salad and bread meal but I know some folks see soup as only fit to be a starter.  I refer them back to the whole Stone Soup folk tale. 

WATCHING, READING and BLOGGING

This week's binge watching has devoted to the 4th season of Downton Abbey!  I know!  I'm atrociously far behind but I have enjoyed sinking back into the intrigues of the English Country house.  Why does period soap opera seem so much more refined?  It must be the costumes.  And Maggie Smith.

Because I've been off this week I've been a reading fiend!  I finally finished The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons (It was really great, though I don't think I loved it as much as Hyperion).  I also finished Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon which I had doubts about while reading but upon completion, I decided I loved it.  I also finally picked up a Sarah MacLean romance, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, and I ADORED it and read it very quickly.  I picked up and finished Volume 20 in the Fables Series by Bill Willingham, Camelot, and I was actually pretty disappointed with it. Finally, I started and finished listening to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl which was good but was probably less charming because I already knew the story by heart from the Gene Wilder movie version which may be one of my favorite movies of all time.  Gene Wilder  = Willy Wonka - anybody disagree?  Phew!  Finishing five books this week was a lot for me and helped me get caught up with my Goodreads challenge.  I'm hoping to keep on the reading train with Bout of Books 13 next week! 


What I've started reading:  Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (a gap in my classics reading), The Lewis Man by Peter May (a mystery set in the Hebrides), and The Likelihood of Lucy by Jenny Holiday (a Regency Romance  - it's an ARC and the second in the series that starts with The Miss Mirren Mission which I LOVED).  I am also still listening to Turn Coat by Jim Butcher.

Last weekend it was apparently Bookstore Day declared by I'm not sure who but it had a twitter tag and that's all I needed to convince me that I needed to go spend some money at my local book store:

Did I go overboard?  Okay, maybe a little.  But look at all the goodies!

On the BLOG LAST WEEK:
SUNDAY: Review of Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.  I didn't like it as much as I think I would have if I'd encountered it at another time but still a great read!
TUESDAY: Top Ten Tuesday - Books I shall probably never read.
WEDNESDAY: Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens.  This Regency romance was definitely not for me with the extreme Alpha hero.  I'd really like a recommendation for some other Laurens books to try though....
THURSDAY: Tough Traveling: Moms.  Happy Mothers day to all you moms out there!
FRIDAY: Sign up for Bout of Books 13 which is happening next week!  It's a fun and low key read-a-thon.

On the BLOG NEXT WEEK:
SUNDAY: Re-Read of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
MONDAY:  Bout of Books Goals Post
TUESDAY:  The Top Ten Tuesday topic is authors you'd most like to meet. Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
WEDNESDAY: Check in for Bout of Books 13 and a mini Review of The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood.
THURSDAY: The Tough Traveling Topic this week is Weasels.  You know the sneaky shifty guys (or gals) in fantasy land.  Hosted by Fantasy Review Barn.
FRIDAY: Bout of Books Check in and mini Review of Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins.

That's it for me this week.  Hope you have a good week full of adorably napping puppies and no stress. 

Bout of Books 13 - Read-thoning is Happening and I will not be Dissuaded!

I was pretty bummed that I was unable to participate in the Dewey's Read-a-thon a couple of weeks ago because of work.  While I'm not terribly disciplined and hard core about them, I find read-a-thons to be nicely motivating and Bout of Books is particularly nice because it is low key.  The main goal is to read more than you usually do during the designated week - for Bout of Books 13 this is May 11 through May 17 (aka next week:).  I'm going back to work next week after a week off so it doesn't seem like the most logical decision to commit to a read-a-thon but who wants to be logical?  Well besides you know who...

And that's how I like it

Here's everything anybody ever needs to know about Bout of Books 13:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

If you've never participated in a read-a-thon before this is a great one to start with because it's so low key - no reading until you drop required.  You can set reading goals or not depending on your preference.  If you're the kind of reader that cares about reading challenges, this is also a great way to catch up with some of those (or get ahead).  I am going to be setting some goals, but I'm not quite ready to do so just yet.  I'll post goals and keep a record of how things go next week on the blog.

Who else will be participating next week and reading their buns off (oh if only this was possible)?  If you've done a read-a-thon in the past what's your favorite strategy?  Tackle gone with the wind or stock up on graphic novels?

Loki's totally a read-a-thoner. I knew it.

Tough Traveling - Dear Old Mums

Tough Traveling is a fun meme that aims to tour all the tropes big and small, abhorred and loved that are littered across the fantasy landscape. It was conceived of and is hosted by Nathan at Fantasy Review Barn and here's how it's explained on the blog: 

Each Thursday, our copy of ‘The Tough Guide to Fantasyland’ in hand, we shall tour the mystical countryside looking for adventure and fun (and tropes) from all over fantasy.

This week's trope is Moms:

Everyone has a mother. Including people in fantasyland. Just in time to be slightly early for Mother’s Day.

The odd thing is most of the fantasy I've read seems to have a remarkable dearth of mothers!  It's like the authors needed to give their main characters some kind of challenging past to overcome and asked themselves - "What's the worst thing that can happen to a child?  I know!  Losing their mother."  And of course it's true, so it automatically sparks sympathy.  That is all to say that this was a surprisingly difficult list to make, at least for me. 

- Mrs. Weasley from Harry Potter

Lord how I love her and you know she's a mom extraordinaire to be able to handle the Weasley clan.

- Nina Locke from the Locke and Key Graphic Novel Series by Joe Hill

This series leans more towards horror than fantasy but oh well because it's fantastic and I'm going to use it anyway.  The series starts with the brutal and frightening murder of the Locke of Nina's husband right in front of her.  During the part of the series I've read thus (1-4) far she is trying to hold it together and be a mother to her three children but she is not succeeding very well and spends much of her time drinking.  It's a difficult and tragic situation and she is written very well. 

- Snow White in the Fables series by Bill Willingham

Being married to the Big Bad Wolf means that (poor) Snow had a litter of seven children, all of which have wolfy and windy (grandpa is the north wind) tendencies making them quite the handful.  One of them is even invisible.  Later in the series horrible things start happening to them, as well, making Snow's job so much harder.

- Virginia Doyle in the Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray

Virginia is the main character Gemma's mother and it is her death and the legacy it leaves behind that really drives the action of this trilogy.  She is an invisible presence throughout the books.

- Cordelia Vorkosigan in the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold

Not only is she a terrific mother to Miles but she is all around a very kick ass lady!  In fact, I'd love another Vorkosigan series book focused on her.

Since this is a list meant to honor mother's day I will only vaguely allude to the evil stepmothers that show up in many fairy tales:0).

I'm  very curious to see what other mothers show up on the lists this week!  

REVIEW: Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens

Devil's Bride  by Stephanie Laurens
Original Publication Year: 1998

Genre(s): Historical Romance (Regency)

Series:The Cynsters #1

Awards:NA

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Honoria Anstruther Wetherby, finishing governess and all around independent Regency lady, stumbles across a dying young man in the woods one afternoon.  While she is wondering what to do for him another very overbearing and mysterious fellow comes along and takes control of the situation.  All of them - dying young man, overbearing fellow and Honoria end up getting trapped for the night in a hunting cabin because of a raging storm.  Dying young man dies during the night.  The next day overbearing fellow, who we now learn is Sylvester "Devil" Cynster, announces that he will be marrying Honoria.  She says No Way Jose' and lifts her chin in the air for the first of 2.67 million times.  And that's the book. With a little bit of murder investigation thrown in.

This book wasn't for me but first I'll point out some things I did like about it.  The writing was overall good.  I appreciated the attempt at weaving in an actual plot beyond the romance (the "mystery" murder investigation) though I pretty much figured out who the villain of the piece was immediately.  He/she was laughably obvious so the fact that it took the Cynster's so long to get there just made them look dumb.  And some of the things I didn't like are already creeping in, lol.  The lame mystery was not really what turned me off however; as I said I appreciated the effort to include a potentially interesting storyline.

The main reason the book didn't work for me is Devil.  I've mentioned before that while I am not immune to the Alpha male persona in romance novels, I don't love it particularly especially when taken to extremes.  And boy oh boy is Devil the king of super Alpha uber manly macho men.  If I had been Honoria I would have taken the first opportunity to poke him in the eye, kick him in the balls and then get the hell out of there as fast as my legs could carry me. 

Honoria starts off as this pretty cool lady, independent and supporting herself through working. She is very successful and good at what she does and she has long held dreams and plans to travel to Egypt. She has some trauma in her past that has made her wary of forming intimate connections because she doesn't wish to have children.  Even so, once she has given in to Devil's browbeating and decided she loves the beastly man, she at least is able to tell him how she feels which is more than can be said for Devil.  Because real men don't talk about stupid girly wirly feelings.  Or something.  Basically the whole book seemed to be about Devil quashing the very life out of Honoria, insisting on winning every battle with her and finally convincing her that the only adventure she needs is slaking his manly needs and popping out his babies. 

Ummm... I HATED Devil.  Hated. For me he is the worst kind of Alpha hero. He belittles her desires for travel and adventure. He ignores her protests and does not respect her opinions. He is infuriated when she doesn't just do what he says.  The only thing he does seem to admire about her is her breeding, her body and her pragmatism/cool head that keeps her from getting overly emotional.  He's the ultimate control freak. And worst of all?  He doesn't really have a sense of humor!  Horrors! I initially liked Honoria, but as the book went on and she continually allowed herself to conform to Devil's will (when she wasn't trying to defy him and just getting into trouble and needing to be rescued) I began to not like her very much either.  And that, of course, is at the crux of why I didn't like the book.  

 

The audio by Simon Prebble was fine though, not surprisingly, I didn't like how Devil was voiced.  The voice given him made him sound more mature in age than he should have been.  This may have added to my lack of enthusiasm for Devil but I think most of that can be chalked up to how the character was written.

 

FINAL VERDICT:  I didn't like this book very much because I hated the male romantic lead who was an extreme Alpha Male character.  If you find this kind of man attractive or interesting to read about, I think your experience of the book will be entirely more positive because it is well written
and developed.  I will try some other books by Stephanie Laurens but this one was NOT for me. 2 out of 5 stars.

Considering that this book has a 4.11 star out of 5 rating on Goodreads AND a couple of readers I admire loved it, I'd say my strong negative reaction is somewhat unique.  I just finished and LOVED my first Sarah MacLean book and I noticed that she posted a short review of this book saying how intensely she loves Devil.  I would love to hear others' perspectives on this book and what makes it a great read!  Considering how much I didn't like this one, which Stephanie Laurens should I try next?

Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Shall Never (probably) Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme for bloggers who like books and lists.  It's awesome and is graciously hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic has really stretched the old (emphasis on old) noggin because it's not one you make by reviewing your library and considering what fits.  It's not even a list you can make by perusing the catalogs of future releases or just idly surfing the web to spark the synapses into firing.  I actually just had to think real hard.  Sheesh.  I think I need a nap now:0).

1) Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L.  James

Not because of the naughty bits.  I read plenty of books with naughty bits.  It just sounds like a terrible book and I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romance.

2) War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

This is really a stand in for a good chunk of Russian literature.  From what I have read, it's just not my cup of tea.

3) The Godfather by Mario Puzo

I think I may have been taken out by the Italian mafia in a former life because I really don't enjoy stories of any kind that revolve around the mob.

4) The final three books in the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

I read Twilight and I have to say I actually really enjoyed the reading experience.  It brought back all the daydreams I had as a teenager and then some.  If I had read it as a teen I would have been a major fan.  But I didn't and while I enjoyed it while reading, I had no desire to move on with the series once the book was set down.  Plus I could tell by the end of book one that Bella was going to get SUPER annoying.

5) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Have I shocked everyone yet?  This is actually a bit of a cheat as I have actually read about halfway into this book TWICE.  This book should be my ideal dream of a book but unfortunately Claire annoys the bejesus out of me and I just can't get past it.  I've given it two tries and no dice.

6) Moby Dick by Herman Melville

I'm sorry to say, reading Billy Budd in high school completely did in any chance that I'd be reading any more of Herman's stories.  Plus, whale hunting is not something of which I'm a fan.

I think I can stop there.  Sure there are some other books/authors that I don't have much of an inclination to read (Jonathan Franzen, Ayn Rand) but these are the only ones I could come up with that were specific, popular and for which I had a clear reason behind my lack of interest.  Really, even with my preferences, I'm pretty open to trying most anything.  

So how about you?  Which books are on your NBR (Never Be Read) list?

REVIEW: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Original Publication Year: 2002

Genre(s): Historical Fiction

Series: NA

Awards: Nominated for a number of awards including the 2002Man Booker and Orange Prize and won the Crime Writer’s Association Ellis Peter’sHistorical Award (2002).

Format: Audio (from Audible)

Narrated by: Juanita McMahon

The description of the book on goodreads starts; “No one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals…” which is a very good place to begin.  The story takes place in Victorian era England and tells the twisting tale of two young women; Sue who is raised in the household of an infant farmer and fencer of stolen goods while Maud spent her childhood in a mad house and then under the thumb of her wicked uncle.  Sue is recruited to pose as Maud’s lady’s maid in order to help with a plot to steal Maud’s fortune.  However as the two girls get to know one another Sue begins to question her ability to betray Maud. 

This book is full of twist and turns, so it is difficult to talk about without giving too much away.  I did not at all suspect what I got.  I had somehow formed the impression that this would be your typical “impoverished, immoral girl is redeemed through the power of love and friendship” type story, which sounds insipid, but it’s a trope I like and with all the love out there for this book I figured  Sarah Waters had written it with extraordinary skill and historic accuracy.   

Waters’ skill and uniqueness of voice is undeniable but she was not at all writing the story I was expecting.  I think for most people this will be a breath of fresh air and extremely satisfying.  For me it ended being a little disappointing because not only was it surprising, it was also incredibly dark.  The characters in the book all represent the very worst of human nature even, for the most part, the two main characters.  Sure they are the least rotten fruit in the bowl but that isn’t saying much. 

The world being portrayed is the seediest of seedy underbellies of Victorian England.  Infant Farms, pornographic literature, dismal cheerless manor houses, mad houses and London slums. 

The plot is brilliantly devious and was frequently jaw-droppingly surprising.  There are many mysteries to be solved and I can see that for most readers this book would likely be a huge page turner. 

So why did it not work this way for me?  My own fault really. I was just not in the mood for the amount of gritty darkness this book contains.  It is all written masterfully with a detail that brings it to full life but unfortunately I was needing rainbows and puppies.  I was needing/wanting the story I thought this was going to be.  Sue and Maud’s relationship, which should have been the one bright spot at the heart of the book really didn’t work for me either.  We first get to know Maud through Sue’s eyes and I can’t imagine a more unattractive person – she’s awkward, weird, moody and cold.  So I was more perplexed and surprised by Sue falling in love with Maud than I was pleased.  They do end up making a good pair I think but based on initial impressions, it did not work for me.

Three final nits:  One thing that I don’t think was clear was the whole crux of the scam.  Much of the book is leading up to the moment when this is revealed and then when it was, it left me muddled and seemed unconvincing.  It’s a nitpick as I don’t think that really detracted from the overall story and was likely just me being dense but if someone understands the legal machinations that made two claims possible, I’d like to hear it!  The second issue I had was that I thought it was a little long and dragged in places.  The building of suspense and getting to know Sue and Maud intimately was important to making the twist and turns work, but nevertheless I do think it could have been tightened up.  Finally, a narrative device was used that I just really don’t like.  At a certain point in the story the reader knows something that the main character does not. The lack of knowing this “something” means the character acts in a foolish and naïve way.  This always just makes me irritated with the character as I can’t seem to put myself in their unknowing shoes.  This could just be me though – does anybody else really like this device and think it works well for them?

The audio version of the book was fine.  Juanita McMahon has a very pleasant voice and handled the cultured and the cockney accents equally well.  I think her voice for Maud may have actually added to my negative view of her in the beginning – it is very soft and monotone - but she was voicing the character in a way consistent with the narrative.  Maud’s uncle does not like loud discordant noises and so she is trained to speak in the most soothing tone possible. 

FINAL VERDICT:  In the end I am giving the book 4 stars because I can objectively recognize what a brilliant historical mystery it is and that my somewhat lackluster enjoyment of it was simply mood related.  If you’re prepared to enter a bleak and very sordid world than I think most readers will really enjoy it. 4 out of 5 stars. 

 CHALLENGES

Read Harder Challenge: A Book By or About Someone that identifies as LGBTQ

Featuring Diversity

Saturdays in the Garden - A Week to Putter!

OUTSIDE
You could not have asked for a more perfect spring week than this past week and it seems like all the plants responded.  The azaleas and redbuds are stunning, the lilacs make everything smell nice and I have a ton of flowers on my blueberry bushes!  I'm not seeing many pollinators despite letting the "wildflowers" grow in my yard.  Last year I harvested exactly 1 blueberry, lol.  I'm hoping for two this year so lets get some cross pollination going!  At the farmer's market this morning I bought a nice hanging basket for the front porch - it's gorgeous up close but unfortunately doesn't have as much of an impact from a distance.  Note to Self: It's best to buy gaudy hanging baskets.

My Wildflowers

 

My peppers and tomatoes have made no progress since last week and I am starting to worry about their readiness.  In fact all of my starts except the onions have all germinated well but then sort of fallen into a state of arrested development.  I'd say it's not enough light but they are in a south facing window and have fluorescent bulbs on them so I'm flummoxed.  I gave them a little meal of fertilizer this morning since they are being grown in a sterile medium (coconut coir). 


LIFE

So just imagine me lazily draped on a Chaise Lounge eating bons bons.  Or grapes if you're health conscious.  Point being, this is the first day of a week off from work for me! I am staycationing my little heart out as what I mostly need is to avoid people as much as possible and to putter around my house.  Mid-February through early May is a particularly intense couple of months at work (I've had one weekend off since the second week of March) and a lot of that intensity is people oriented.  By mid-April I am super crabby and unpleasant to be around - everything, everybody else does annoys me and I have no patience.  This is what I call introvert overload.  I'm burnt out and done and for my own sanity and everyone else who unfortunately has to deal with my crabby ass, a week off is just the ticket.

My perfect staycation is one balanced between productivity and relaxation.  I like to have a few projects around the house and yard to tackle as well as perhaps some time to focus on some personal improvement.  This week I'd like to make a list of healthy meal ideas for the next couple of months and maybe make some to go in the freezer.  I also want to give the house a good cleaning, particularly my "study", basement, and garage and I have a list of garden/yard stuff I want to work on.  The dogs and the car also need a wash. I won't get it all done, especially since it's supposed to rain most of the week, but I will feel more in control (less out of control?) by the end of the week.  I will also of course take copious amounts of time to read and blog and binge on TV shows as well.  And I've got a couple of plans to get together with friends.  Basically it's going to be fabulous!  I started it off this morning by going to the opening day of the Farmer's market in Ames and then treated myself to a bagel and coffee at Bruegger's and brought home a bunch to put in the freezer.  Ahhhh.....

WATCHING, READING and BLOGGING

Guess what?!  I'm still watching M*A*S*H:).  I'm most of the way through season 9 now.  Hawkeye has started to annoy me, I've developed a crush on B.J. and Margaret seems like a completely different person from her early days with Frank Burns.  I think Colonel Potter may just be the most adorable commanding officer anywhere.  The thing that has really started to be weird is that this show lasted 11 seasons but the Korean war only lasted three years so a season of the show should only = 2-3 months.  And sometimes they say things that remind the viewer of this - Margaret was married for a season and 1/2 or thereabouts but she just mentioned in a recent episode that her marriage only lasted 3 months.  They packed in a LOT of trouble in 3 months, LOL.  It is also made more confusing because they've had multiple Christmas and thanksgiving episodes.  They've also gone through several cycles where the weather is too hot and then is too cold - Korea must have the most mixed up weather on the planet:).  The point is, if you're going to watch the whole series, particularly in a compressed fashion, be prepared to be constantly a little bemused about time.  I'll likely finish the series up this week and then I may think about embarking on a Farscape re-watch.

Reading has been good this week though I haven't quite finished The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons as I had hoped to.  I am getting close though and will certainly finish up in the next couple days.  I did finish my car audio, Diamond Solitaire by Peter Lovesey, a mystery which had a key part played by a Sumo wrestler - a little odd but kind of cool.  I've also made good progress on Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon - it's been a wild ride and I have a bunch of thoughts on it!  In the car I started listening to Turn Coat, book #11 in the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher.  It's been a while since I picked up one of these books (according to Goodreads I read book 10 in 2010) and I am feeling a little lost and think I may have missed a couple books?  * shrugs* Thankfully it isn't rocket science so I'm still enjoying it pretty well:0).


On the BLOG LAST WEEK
SUNDAY: Re-read of The Magician's Nephew by C.S Lewis.  Kind of a weird, scary book but good.  The contrast with more modern YA/Middlegrade books that I have been reading was pretty interesting.
TUESDAY: Top Ten Tuesday - Books with characters who aren't what they seem.  These are some of my favorite characters and it was a fun list to make!
THURSDAY:  Tough Traveling - The Big City.  This meme explores the tropes of the fantasy genre.  This particular topic was also pretty fun to address which surprised me!

On the BLOG NEXT WEEK
SUNDAY:  Review of Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.  I was supposed to do this last Wednesday but it didn't happen.  I hope to catch up on writing down my thoughts on books this week as I'm very behind!
TUESDAY: Top Ten Tuesday (Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) topic this week is Ten books I will never read.  Interesting....
WEDNESDAY:  Review of Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens.
THURSDAY:  The Tough Traveling topic is Moms, lol.  Should be interesting. Hosted by Fantasy Review Barn.
FRIDAY:  May do a sign up post for Bout of Books??

 I hope you all have a great week ahead of you cultivating your corner of the garden.