Saturday night -

And I am remembering Monday morning and all the plans that buoyed me as I rose early, full of energy and enthusiasm.

Well, Monday was fine,  - I was up early and cut the side lawn, started the sprinkler on the raised bed and then went up to the garden on the hill and dug up a small yellow rose, a bit of the coral bell and a pretty daisy that I planted in the spring.  Brought them home,  planted and watered them, and was pleased with myself!

Tuesday morning Charles needed the SUV to go and sing with the senior's choir at a funeral, but undismayed, I planned an afternoon excursion to the garden for some peonies, but alas, it didn't materialize.

Wednesday was a repeat of Tuesday, except this time Charles needed the SUV to go to the Care Facility and sing with the senior's choir, - what a skylark he is becoming!!!

Thursday and Friday were taken up with preparing a short history of our ninety year old church to put into a brochure for an Anglican Regional District Car Rally, and today was the day we were inundated with 52 extra Anglicans, having fun, spreading good cheer, and hungry as bears.  They ate up every bit of the lunch we had prepared for them!!!!

At a very brief service before they were able to pounce on the food, Nick (our new minister) finished with a prayer, and I immediately recognized the concerted Amen that followed as Anglican, pure and simple.  No hesitation, they responded as one and my heart remembered my early days in the Anglican church and I felt at once poignant and comforted.

I have been reading lately about 'cellular memory' and the heart being a possible storage spot for memories - very interesting concept.  Surely the memories we gather in our childhood are the ones that catch us unawares and touch us most deeply.

I cherish the time we spent this week with our 'landlord kids' in whose house we are living.  They hung things for us, put in new doors, with our oldest son's help put Charles' lift into the garage and replaced the sunroom steps, - were a treasure to have around and have now gone back to their meadowland in the Cariboo.

Only one week left in September, - the month I had earmarked for settling plants into the new bed.  Will I make the deadline?  MUST I be so organized??????

an early morning sunrise

The landlord son...

I think we could exchange his beard for my hair, and vice versa - just turn them upside down!!!

The Skylark in his singing regalia, and off to the side a portrait of him when he was 17

ABC |Wednesday
September 21st, 2011

The letter of the week is J
J is for Jester, and we give you Danny Kay in the role!


Enjoy...

For more happy J's please visit here at ABC Wednesday.

September 19th, 2001

I am out cutting the little side lawn, enjoying the pearly fall crocus and the few delicate pink roses that have deigned to provide a small but exquisite autumn show.  The hand push mower makes a lovely whirring sound and there is the faintest aroma of freshly cut grass as I enjoy the blue sky and the summery clouds in the crisp, cool September air.

When I am finished I go to measure the length and width of the raised garden bed in which I plan to plant the peonies and delphinium, the scarlet bergamot and pristine phlox, a couple of iris, a few roses, some pearly everlasting, a bit of coral bell and probably some sage - stop, stop!  It is only 24 feet long and 3 and a half feet wide.  I must be content with small snippets...... but I will smother the composter in the far corner of the back garden with day lilies, some Stella d'Oro and the big red streaked ones that are so showy.

It is very hard for me to admit to myself that I am now eighty-six, and the day-long sessions I once enjoyed in the garden have shrunk to an hour or two in deference to aching muscles and failing energy, but for those shortened hours I am incredibly grateful, and I can always dream on a grand scale!

This afternoon I will go up to our house on the hill that stands, empty eyed, gazing over that lovely vista to the Cawston hills, and I will delight in the garden that continues with its business of creating beauty while it procreates, - making seeds, pushing the Chinese Underground Railway a little farther into the suburbs, swelling corms and bulbs and  rosehips.  I will gather the dried pods of the heritage sweet pea that will crackle and burst in my hands, scattering more progeny at its feet and bring home roses and the second flush of delphiniums to sweeten the house and reflect in the mirrors and our memories.

Life is good.....