My parents bought their first and only home in the early 1950s. It was to that house I was taken as a newborn baby, and it was from that house I moved out in the early 1980s when I married.
My dear Mom planted all kinds of things — but usually, the ordinary garden must-haves: geraniums, tulips, and I suspect she may have been the one who planted crocus. I especially remember the crocus that were some of the earliest bloomers, sometimes up through a dusting of snow. Here she is doing a little gardening with her youngest granddaughter.
My Dad loved wildflowers — he made a rock garden along the side of our neighbor’s garage. He filled it with wildflowers: Bloodroot, Trillium, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Lily of the Valley, ferns, and hostas. In addition, we had a patch of rhubarb that he would occasionally cut for me, which I thought a great treat. As the picture demonstrates — he also loved feeding the birds.
But like Ron, Dad loved Roses. One time at a rather scary cost. We had some beautiful yellow roses at the side of our house. Dad was cutting some to bring inside when he had a run-in with something, we suspected a spider. We first noticed it after he came into the house and rolled up his shirt sleeves. There was a nasty red line running from a cut in his hand clear up his arm. We took him to the hospital, where a doctor dealt with the venom. I suspect he was a little more careful after that.
But despite the occasional mishap, it is wonderful to have a little taste of heaven on earth. It is lovely to have a home filled with flowers. When you have planted and tended them, it is even sweeter. Thank you, Mom, Dad, and my dear Ronnie, for all the beauty you brought into my life.
What wonderful memories!! I hope there are flowers in heaven.
A fine story, Ann! And I enjoyed the photos of your mom gardening in her dress and your dad feeding the birds in his white shirt and tie!
Judy — of course there will be flowers in heaven! Heaven won’t be less than God created on earth! Thanks for writing — and they are indeed, wonderful memories!
Nancy, Thanks for writing — yes, my parents tended to that sort of thing — potting plants in her dress and dad feeding the birds in shirt and tie. Best not to taper off! Cheers!
These photos are awesome. Gardening and interacting with birds (and squirrels) go hand-in-hand! Your parents had it down cold by the looks of all this beauty. Those roses…
Thanks, Kath! Thinking about our huge backyard — I am inspired by all gardeners! I have a picture somewhere of my Dad sitting on the back steps, holding the cat Otto with one hand, while hand feeding a squirrel with the other! I’ve been looking at garden catalogs this morning. The Amish around here also make outdoor poly furniture that can stay out year round with no maintenance. That sounds good to me. As to the yellow roses — the only picture I could find was of Ron’s & my roses in SC. As I recall, the one’s Dad had were very similar — maybe a wee tad lighter yellow in color. Thanks for writing!
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