I haven’t spent much time at the gym the past few weeks. We’ve been out and about visiting favorite places like Greenspring Gardens (above) and walking the dogs in the lovely spring weather. True, its early spring here, with trees in bloom and bulbs out, however a pleasant time of year, especially when compared with what is to come.
Summer seems to arrive earlier and last longer every year. Our winter months ended in March, having just begun. After the inclement weather, forecast for this weekend, passes, we will be back visiting our local beauty spots. Meanwhile, I’m poring over garden information, catalogues, etc. and spending money on beautiful and new plants for container growing. When the freezing weather returns, next November, some of them will become houseplants in my indoor collection.
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Over time, each of my children (two sons, one daughter) has taken an interest in gardening. Connie texted messages yesterday, looking for garden gloves. She and Bill have enclosed an area where dogs, goats, chickens and hopefully deer are not allowed to wander, and she’s planting perennials. Connie asked for my advice, but as with cooking and sewing and the other skills I’ve shared, I am limited in what I can offer. Mostly, one learns gardening through trial and error.
Searching through historical issues of the Wisconsin Rapids Newspaper, I found dozens of instances over the years of my maternal grandmother, mother and aunts winning awards for their flowers. Mom continued to garden the rest of her life in one form or another.
I knew Nana had won a prize from Burpee for a gloxinia she developed and I remember her collection of houseplants. What surprised me even more was the discovery that one of my Dutch ancestors (Nana’s father) was a florist. There it is “Occupation: florist” in his naturalization papers, on his death certificate and in census records. Awesome. And I knew that another great-grandmother (Jacobmina or Minnie) carried “flag” rhizomes in the folds of her long skirts. Flags of course are the Fleur-de-Lis on the French flag. Aunt Audrey had planted some of the Flag descendants along her driveway.
Today my oldest son grows roses in his California garden while my youngest son grows vegetables and Connie tries to keep Bill’s voracious goats out of her garden. They all remember working with me in the gardens I tended.
One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anyplace else on earth.
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Below, Oldest grandson Jacob and his ‘Most Valuable Player’ award. Dad says he also lettered and he’s only a Sophomore.
Lovely Spring post … It is a beautiful time of year (or so I seem to remember … Not typical spring here in Florida). Your Grandson is such a handsome young man!
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Thank you Sallie
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Lovely photos. All three of my children (2 boys and a girl, like you) outshine me when it comes to gardening.
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Thanks Ginnie
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WWhat a great post. It’s like sitting next to you and chatting. 🙂
My mother was a voracious gardener. At the big house, she fought the adobe to create some delicious veggies. Her fruit trees didn’t like the adobe either, but the chickens did well.
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Thanks Mage. The fruit trees probably didn’t like the lime-based material used in the creation of the Adobe. They need acidic soil to set fruit…I think.
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I got some pictures from the DIL today showing a fairy house they built for the grand girls and showing a wooden flower bed she built and where she planted her purchased vegetables. Good for her. She is a healthy eater and should have a garden to grow her favorites. As for flowering plants, my little artist is going to take after her Nana. Whenever we walk in the grocery store the first thing she says is that she loves the smell (the flower shop is right by the door). Childrren learn by example, as the old saying goes. It is never a guaranty, but if you want you children to love what you love, you have to do it with them.
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Yes, I agree. My Dad was a Civil War…military buff and I grew up to become a military wife after years of visiting battlefields with him. He also loved old ships and was an ecologist, so I spent hours walking forest trails and visiting old ships. That’s probably why I never learned many “womanly”skills like knitting. 😱
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Hope you share photos of the fairy houses!
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I’d take being out in the glorious spring weather any day over going to the gym!! Fresh air and beautiful blooms are surely better than treadmills and stationary bikes.
Love the poem.
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Yeah gym equipment is for sissies!
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I love the line from the poem – we have it engraved on a birdbath. Keep enjoying your garden and your lovely spring. Freda
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Life is short! Gather your rosebuds wile you may!
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Patty is the gardener in the family. Quite a talent also. I’m such a black thumb, I’m not allowed to walk past any of the flowers as they will immediately wilt.
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Even the cacti?
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No. They spit their needles at me.
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You come by that love for plants naturally! My father loved his cotton plants and had some of the best yields in our area, but alas, I have no talent to grow anything but dust on furniture!
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Try it you will like it! Plants that is, not dust. I don’t believe in green thumbs.
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Compared to you, I am not much of a gardener. I water my hanging ferns outside, the indoor plant on the coffee table, and the crotons in front of the house. Just the bare minimum.
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To each her own. Do what you enjoy.
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Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! What fun to discover gardening is in your genes. You must be awfully proud of that handsome grandson of yours! Enjoy spring!
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We are very proud of Jacob. He’s a real athlete.
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Wonderful photos, and congratulations to your grandson. Enjoyed the photos. I have been to the garden you mentioned, it is a lovely place. What fun to find an ancestor who was a florist. The apple does not fall far from the tree, or should that be ‘spring blossoms? 🙂 Have a great weekend Diane. My brother-in-law arrived yesterday, the one who lives in Germany and who was my sister’s husband. He is here for two weeks. It was great to see him and we have a busy two weeks planned.
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This is a great time of year to be a Virginian.
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You have a gardening ancestry. How wonderful!
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Also many farmers from the Netherlands in our family tree, and you know the Dutch can grow almost anything.
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