An Ode to May Longs' Past

It wasn't until 2008 that I experienced my first real 'May Long' weekend. Josh had just moved to Merritt, so I'd made the lonooooooooong trek (two ferries, one looong highway through the mountains, a Coquihalla toll booth, and a whole lotta beautiful scenery) to the Interior. We'd had a weekend of bliss in Naramata, camping along Skaha Lake, tasting every white wine this side of Calgary. BLISS!

Until then, the entire concept of a 'May Long Weekend' was foreign to me. Foxwood Greenhouses would have none of that! It was a weekend to pump endless truckloads of hanging baskets, bedding plants, and pots out the door.

From the middle of April until mid June, I'm pretty sure my Dad gets about 7.8 hours of sleep total. He's busy zipping from the Toronto Market, back home to the greenhouses, on the road with the truck, back home, then on the road again.

The Jentje-i-nator would always remind us not to complain when, in high school, our friends would all go camping and we'd have to stay behind to work. "Kids, this is our bread and butter..."

I've started up a little 'business' in Powell River digging & weeding people's gardens in the evening. I love it - for one, some of the gardens overlook the ocean (and what's better than being in a garden watching sun set?). It also is the good old fashioned idea of getting back to the earth that sustains us...and playing in it, seeing the grace of God in the flowers, just sheer joy & beauty in creation.

It's funny - because for all the years I wished I could just get away, I now wish (ache!) to be back there squeezed between tables filling up geranium flats, craning my neck (eyes squinted in the sun) pulling down hanging baskets.

So family, I'm sending my love & you can be sure that I'm there pushing carts in spirit. xo

Grow flowers, grow! ...

....................and better yet, Sell flowers, SELL! xo