To the person who gifted us this lovely pot of pink tulips, a particular thank you on this day of mixed snow and rain – with its possible wet, white accumulations of 25 cm north of the city. (Listening to the weather report, my daughter comments that squalls is a funny word. I guess it’s good to find some humour in it.)

The pink beauties are sitting indoors on our windowsill now. They don’t mind the rain. They’re looking at the bird feeder my sister optimistically hung on the other side of the glass and perhaps willing the cardinals to find it at last.

My friend S. has a penchant for all things pink in the garden. After these babies are through jollying up the last (we hope) tantrum of winter, I’ll pass them along to S. to find a home in her garden. In the right spot, they’ll continue to send up blooms in other years. That isn’t re-gifting. It’s spreading the wealth.