Rite of passage and Finish Line

The past week of April was pretty busy and exciting. I was counting the days until Graduation from my trainee program to become a Placer County Master Gardener. Heather( her daughter, actually) had a great idea to have each of the trainee bring a bloom from their garden and we could make a bouquet for our trainer as a gift. Boy did we get quite the reception. Each bloom and stem were so beautiful and three main flower arrangments were made. I would hand the stems and suggest a color or which vase to go in and Roxi did her magic arranging them. Kivein, the trainer said they were "Spectatular" We have develpoped a great community of Master Gardeners of 2022 ready to go out and change the world for the better with research based information for home gardeners. Not a small momemt has passed and it is timet o volunteer through newpaper article writing for me. I feel so priviledged to be able to contribute through the Auburn Journal through the Master Gargener Program. Before all the excitment of graduation for me, we had a wonderful Sweet Sixteen Birthday party for Celia at home! She had 11 friends over, some were in and out of the party;) but mostly they learned to know each other and had a great time forming their own little friend group by the end of the night. They have a group text and seem to have had a blast, making references to that night still a week or two later. They played Just Dance and made smores. They had tons of food and cupcakes and loved to jsut talk abnd be in Ceias room. I was so pleased she was having such a great time and that she was so spoiled. She loved each of the gifts and they were just what she liked. For going to a new school this year, she sure has grown in friendships and hopefully she can see the good that has come from all this growth. Spence had his 24th Birthday just 3 days after Celia. I brought over her balloons and sign and many cupcakes for him to enjoy. Spence and I went for a ride and he chilled in the back of the van like it was a limo and loved holding two popsicles in each hand as he surveyed the foothills. I saw a ladybeetle next to the icecream freezer in a gas station in Loomis. I was excited since convergent Ladybeetles are the subject of my first published article representing as a Placer COunty Master Gardener coming out May15th in the Auburn Journal.