We have a tiny garden full of surprises in our yard. It keeps surprising us by producing flowers that we didn't know were there.
I had a very good friend, Barbara. We taught together, we were in Menta together, we volunteered in the literacy program and at Friends of the Library together. We always shared rides to our volunteer jobs. Barbara was one of the neatest persons I have ever had the joy of knowing - big heart, wonderfully interesting conversationalist - full of wisdom and common sense.
One day when Don picked us up at the library and we were driving to Barb's house, she mentioned that she needed someone to dig up the bulbs from a small garden bed.
She lived in a lovely condominium and shared a garden bed with a neighbor. It was between their two patios, and they wanted to replant with neat, low maintenance shrubs. Don volunteered to do the digging. Barbara said that we could have all the bulbs to replant in our yard. So Don rescued the bulbs and planted them safely in various places in our yard. We really didn't know what they were.
This all happened before Barbara became ill and was diagnosed with lung cancer. Her family and all her women friends went through this tough time together, with Barbara showing us all how a classy lady goes through a devastating illness with dignity. She died a year ago.
Well, the bulbs from her garden keep surprising us. Things keep popping up in different places with different names that have us running to identify them. Early this spring we had yellow daffodils. And this week we have the most startling Amaryllis blooming in the bird bath bed, with loads more of them reading to pop out.
Also in our surprise bird bath bed are miniature roses all abloom. These are from some past
Mothers' Day gifts from our Cincinnati kids and grandkids. For several years they have sent
these exquisite miniature rose bushes. Don plants them in our rose beds. Sometimes in the spring they come up and bloom. Some years they don't. But this week they have surprised us once again.
Such memories that can be inspired by a lovely flower- flowers that share so many of the fine qualities of the gift givers: beauty, strength, pleasure.
That's our little memory garden - what an unexpected source of joy.
I had a very good friend, Barbara. We taught together, we were in Menta together, we volunteered in the literacy program and at Friends of the Library together. We always shared rides to our volunteer jobs. Barbara was one of the neatest persons I have ever had the joy of knowing - big heart, wonderfully interesting conversationalist - full of wisdom and common sense.
One day when Don picked us up at the library and we were driving to Barb's house, she mentioned that she needed someone to dig up the bulbs from a small garden bed.
She lived in a lovely condominium and shared a garden bed with a neighbor. It was between their two patios, and they wanted to replant with neat, low maintenance shrubs. Don volunteered to do the digging. Barbara said that we could have all the bulbs to replant in our yard. So Don rescued the bulbs and planted them safely in various places in our yard. We really didn't know what they were.
This all happened before Barbara became ill and was diagnosed with lung cancer. Her family and all her women friends went through this tough time together, with Barbara showing us all how a classy lady goes through a devastating illness with dignity. She died a year ago.
Well, the bulbs from her garden keep surprising us. Things keep popping up in different places with different names that have us running to identify them. Early this spring we had yellow daffodils. And this week we have the most startling Amaryllis blooming in the bird bath bed, with loads more of them reading to pop out.
Also in our surprise bird bath bed are miniature roses all abloom. These are from some past
Mothers' Day gifts from our Cincinnati kids and grandkids. For several years they have sent
these exquisite miniature rose bushes. Don plants them in our rose beds. Sometimes in the spring they come up and bloom. Some years they don't. But this week they have surprised us once again.
Such memories that can be inspired by a lovely flower- flowers that share so many of the fine qualities of the gift givers: beauty, strength, pleasure.
That's our little memory garden - what an unexpected source of joy.
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