"Why does the phone ring at the exact moment I'm finally starting to get some work done? Good afternoon, The Company."

"Michael."

"Oh God. Hello, Boss."

"I think I might have forgotten to tell you, when I was trying to leave the Nevada office yesterday, that I was headed to Santa Rosa."

"Please kill me now. No, I had no idea you were going anywhere, much less here."

"I have a meeting in the morning, but the other reason is that I had to have a root canal today."

"Oh, then you're going to be in an even better mood than usual. I've had three of those, so I know how you feel."

"I just wanted to check in and give you a number where you can reach me."

"I just want to be in a different state. Okay, I'll be in touch if there are any messages."

"Goodbye."

"Until five minutes from now, when you'll think of something else to call me about and interrupt the only work I've been able to concentrate on all week. Bye."

Being a novice in the garden, I have no idea what most of the plants are that grow on the estate here at the Fortress. Oh, sure, I know a rose when I see one, but there are blossoms coming out now that I didn't expect to see when I moved in. To be honest, I didn't expect much of anything to bloom until spring, but that just shows my ignorance when it comes to these matters. The truth is, I'm surprised by something almost every time I set foot out the door, and a splash of color here and there is only part of it.

Now that it's getting dark earlier, I'm already starting to look forward to spring, when I'll be able to spend more time in the yard. Of course, I'll probably feel differently when the time actually comes and I'm faced with actually deciding what to do with all the plant life under my jurisdiction.