Dear Reader:

Ah…there is nothing like it in the world! The sweet scents of flowers in May. I think every perfume in the world should come from a southern garden at this time of the year.

Even if April showers brought more (lots more) May showers, (besides the flowers) this season…they  also brought the most aromatic fragrances to our yards and gardens. Some of these scents are so secretive they sneak up on you. One minute you don’t detect anything and the next…you are practically consumed in their perfume …especially gardenias, of course.

But when one has gardenias, Confederate jasmine growing on the fences, and magnolia buds opening….wow…it doesn’t get much more southern smelling than that…the combined scents bring back so many childhood memories from summers of long ago.

The rains continue to fall and with the tropical disturbance in the Gulf it looks like we will continue to have rain throughout Memorial Day weekend and even more next week. Surely…by the time this is all over (about three weeks worth now) we will be out of drought conditions hopefully.

I must admit the lazy gardener in me is still loving it…it will be a shock to have to get out and start watering again (after all this time.) I am out of practice.

So my thoughts have turned inward to the house…actually towards the purchase of a rug for the den while they were all 50% off at Tuesday Morning last week. My last rug was almost 10 years old and starting to flip up on the ends. I wanted to keep the rug simple so I could display the newest addition to the sofa…a bright colored summer sofa throw.

The rain-nourished flowers in the garden continue to drink happily and bloom in all their beauty. Each day brings new surprises.

I got a call Thursday from a wonderful teacher-friend from Alston Middle where I taught…who is now an assistant principal at Dubose Middle School, Kelly Kennedy, to let me know that a friend of mine, Jackie Canaday, was retiring and they were giving her a party. Wow! Jackie used to teach with me at Alston as another eighth grade social studies teacher decades ago.

My immediate response was…Jackie has still been teaching all this time? Unbelievable…and when I arrived at the retirement party yesterday afternoon…I found it to be true. 45 years in the classroom! How amazing is that…and she is just as strong a teacher this year as every year before. The tribute the school gave her was heart-warming and so appreciative. Over the years Jackie came to represent everything that was best about her beloved school and second home…she became the symbol of all that is right and beautiful in teaching.

When it came time to present gifts from the different grades and teams…the principal asked her to come forward to accept a special recognition. Look what it was! So deserving…from now on out…a special hall is named in her honor!

*Besides a delicious meal and desserts…there was a sweet bun by everyone’s place. Apparently Jackie would be the first teacher at school each day and treat herself to a sweet bun and coffee in peaceful bliss. I loved the saying on it…so creative!

Now she can hit the beaches and it looks like an Hawaiian trip is being planned for the future. Congratulations Jackie…you are awesome! I was so happy to be able to share this special moment of recognition with you and our time together teaching 8th Grade Social Studies! Social Studies Teachers rule!

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With all the rain lately…the Dingle Five should be feeling right at home in the “Irish” lowcountry…showers and green grasses everywhere. In fact fairy homes are popping up all over too…so keep your eyes open…you never know when a little fairy might just appear from underneath?

So until tomorrow…Father thank you for cooling showers, green grass, blooming flowers, and teachers who continue planting seeds and a thirst for knowledge to another generation of students.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh