I want to live in the foam flowers

This plant gets the garden medal this year for all around best performer. That is going to tick off the creeping phlox big time but they got the medal last year. Garden rules clearly state that the same plant can't win the medal two years in a row.

Lovely birthday brunch for my favorite seven year old and and a good, long Skype with sister. It feels as if I could walk around the corner and they would be sitting right there but of course they're not; they're ten thousand miles away. Crap.

More yard work; pulling and tugging dead grass tufts from the tall grasses, talking gardening plans with the neighbor and making it clear that I don't have the time and energy any more to take care of their adjacent part. I feel mean but really, it feels like they can step up the game a little.