The May long weekend is usually the holiday that Canadians look forward to the most. The unofficial start of summer is synonymous with a trip to a lake, beach or campground and maybe a few fireworks with friends. For elementary and high school students, the Victoria Day holiday also is a sign that the school year is almost over and soon it will be summer break. So how do you celebrate this year, when trips to the lake are frowned upon and school’s been out since March? We Canadians are an imaginative bunch and I’m sure all of you have plans to adapt this long weekend in a way that will still result in fun and good feelings. To help, I’ve assembled some of my favourite “feel good” articles from The Conversation network – including an inspirational story about how a man in solitary confinement wound up being a published author in a respected mathematics academic journal. And in normal years, this is the weekend we would be in the garden or enjoying nature and its critters. We've got gardening covered, and you can also read about hummingbird wings and the differences between squirrels and chipmunks.

Have a great long weekend no matter where you are and what you’re doing. Our team is taking the extra day in the weekend to catch our breath, so we’ll be back in your Inbox on Tuesday.