19 Comments

Another delightful look at life, and into life! Thank you for your humor and wisdom, along with your passion and patience with your wonderful family!

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Thanks for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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Oh I how needed this wonderful piece today!! I have to remember the beauty of planting seeds of hope in the garden of low expectations. Your sense of humor is one of my favorite things ever and one of the many reasons we are friends. I laughed so hard when you named the French horn noises, I'm laughing as I think of the pathetic noises coming out of my beginner band student's flute. But what a gift to be starting at zero with everyone else and just celebrating each other's wins as one goes along. I too am enthralled with vegetable gardening but rarely have luck with it even out here in the country. I think your cucumbers may be a European cucumber variety called "Green Finger", I grow these and they are a very distinctive finger shape!!

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I’m so glad it made you laugh!!! And that’s very interesting about the cucumbers! It definitely looks like it could be that. Sure wish I’d saved the packets!! Thanks for reading!! ❤️

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Gardening stories are my favorite! The part where your mom pulled up the "carrot" gave me a good chuckle ;)

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I'm so glad!! Thank you!!

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Oh, this made me laugh so much. And I love the idea of an “experiment in fascination.”

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Thanks so much! I'm so happy that it made you laugh!

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Delightful! We have a first time saxophone player in the house, and our dog is terrified 🤣 I can commiserate with you about the “teenage boy flatulent” notes and rejoice with you over the good ones! I’m sure we will both be beaming with pride over their growing instrument skills soon ❤️

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My condolences to your eardrums--haha! And you're right. Today Wyatt got off the bus and said they learned real songs today("Old Macdonald," etc). This is very exciting!!

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I am the original indoor plant killer. Despite being very open about this people seem to think I like indoor plants for a gift. Every time I am presented with one I groan inwardly and deeply apologise to the poor plant! Love your writing Joy.

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Haha!! So glad to know it's not just me, even if I am improving (slightly). Thank you, and thanks for reading!!

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Joy, this whole essay is delightful! And this just made me laugh alone in my room, “He claims that when we are in the plant section of hardware stores, if you’re very quiet, you can hear plants warning each other about me.”

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I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reading!

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Lovely! You are very talented

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Thank you so much!!

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Joy, I loved each piece of this beautifully crafted essay! I am slowly learning the surprises that come with low expectations.

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Thank you, and thanks for reading! Yes, it really changes things, doesn't it?

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Rick says the cucumber is pourly pollinated, more likely to occur with the first fruit. Did the next fruits look better?

French horn!! I played that for 8 years. Didn’t practice much, I’m sure my family was grateful, I have very little to show for it now.

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