My enthusiasm for cleaning up in the gardens is not really matched by my children.  OK, I’ll be a tad bit clearer with that opening statement.  My kids are not at all excited about working in the gardens.  (There.  That’s much more honest.)

My oldest did promise to help today, and I find that it ended up being the silver lining.  He leaves soon, going back to his campus in just two weeks.  Again, we are not “supposed” to have him this summer. 

Yanking bittersweet out of the bushes together?  Helping your mother decide how far to prune back her beloved spireas?  Holding branches of the crab apple while your father chain saws out the dead branches? 

Oh, for sure:  this is the stuff of great memories for a college senior during his final summer.   (He did include it in this “two good things of the day” at supper, though… so it must have meant something to him, too, right?)

It was easily my silver lining today!