My garden photo of the day: 4/11/11

Bluebells—one of my favorite woodland flowers—are just breaking out into bloom. This flower takes me back to my childhood, when I remember it blooming in the little border garden next to our house. I've been propagating it in our yard—next to wild ginger—and am so happy to see it blooming gloriously.

ideology - not a sincere desire to cut spending - will shut down the government

I can't remember being this upset and disillusioned with Washington in a long time.

Republicans called for a certain amount of cuts to the the budget. Dems called them on it and agreed to that number.

But wait, Boehner and friends now say that the cuts must also include their political passions — cuts to EPA surveillance, screening for cancer and STDs at Planned Parenthood, and funding for two national treasures, NPR and PBS.

I cannot believe that our service men and women in Afghanistan will now have to worry about their families receiving paychecks over the next few weeks.

I cannot believe that children, whose parents plan to bring them to Washington over spring break to see the cherry blossoms and visit the Smithsonian, may have to cancel their trips.

I cannot believe that disabled citizens will have their application for support put on hold.

I cannot believe any of this.

It is, in one word, incomprehensible.

Republicans scream that the American people sent them to Washington last fall to "reign in reckless spending."

Some did.

Many others think that cutting government oversight of the environment, human services, and education is dangerous and ill advised and could lead to the downfall of our great country.

Boehner, Ryan, et al. You have no mandate other than the one you imagine and try to pull out of thin air.

The American People, the ones you so love to invoke, do not want a government shut down. They want responsible compromise. They want responsible leaders.

Optimism

I'm an optimist:

Today I clicked "repeat every year" on my Ical entry that reminds me of my birthday.

This spring I plan to start a whole hedgerow of cyprus trees.

And, I always keep a bottle of champagne in my fridge.