When I went grocery shopping on Monday after a trip to Mallard Industries, a "sheltered workshop" in town that is quite impressive — they have business going on there that I had no idea of! — heavy industry, woodworking, shoe repair, catering, recycling, sewing — I've probably forgotten some. We were there to discuss possibilities for Emil finding productive work in this community once he finishes high school. Anyway, after that I went to the Co-op for the coming week's supply of grub.

They had a pretty good sale on canned goods, so I stocked up on beans. Garbanzo beans, brown beans, kidney beans, beans beans. Of course, our storage room being still flooded and overfull to start with, putting everything away when I got home presented a problem.

But it was soon solved. I gave the job to Everett, who attacked it with glee. He enjoyed the doing more than I would have imagined, and was exceedingly proud of the end result.

Obviously he will be most self-satisfied with work that requires organizational skills. He loved the challenge of it.

This flower bed was started in August 2004 after I'd helped our neighbour, Marilou, transplant leftover bedding plants from her commercial greenhouse to her garden and she sent me home with my choice of perennials. I call this bed Marilou's Moon.

It doesn't look like much yet but I am dreaming of the days when everything bursts into colour.