This is a woman who has known tragedy in her lifetime, and never allowed it to dim her faith or her inner joy. When we lost our first baby she was there for me, comforting me with her wise words, her faith in God and her cups of tea. No matter what life has thrown at her, she still holds fast to God, and that inspires me. She is a rare woman in a world of doubters and unbelievers. People admire her because she's in her 90's, and independant and still as 'sharp as a tack', but you cannot separate her from her faith, and that is what I admire her for most of all.
While we were having a late lunch out on her deck in the afternoon sunshine, she snapped off a piece of a large bush that grows by her front door and gave it to me for my new garden. She said that one of her dearest friends gave it to her. I don't even know what the plant is called, and it's not even a particularly pretty bush, but I was thinking how nice it will be to have some of Aunty Marjorie's garden in my new garden. And that got me thinking....
Wouldn't it be nice to take snippings of plants from the garden of friends and family for the new garden.
When we got married 16 years ago, one of my bridesmaids did that for me. She filled a large tub of cuttings from her garden. I lovingly planted them all out in my new little house ...
...but we only stayed there for 2 years before we moved to the South Island. I took some of the plants with me, and they probably are still growing in our homes in Central Otago and Canterbury, but we've had so many moves over the years that not one of the cuttings I took when we left survive now. I even took a cutting of a hydrangea from the Marlborough Sounds property we used to haunt when we were kids, but that didn't last the trip north. So I have to start all over again, and Aunty Marge's plant is the first one for my new garden. We plan on being here for awhile now, with the kids in school and settled here. Plus, we love it so much in the Bay of Plenty, I can't see us moving in a hurry.
Don't you think it's a nice idea, to fill my garden with cuttings from people and places we love. I know it's sentimental, but in a world that has become impersonal and indifferent, I think it will give meaning and soul to my garden.
3 comments :
I think that's quite a lovely idea. You can gaze at the flowers and think of that person whenever you see them. Yeah, it's probably mushy (as we said in the US) but I like the idea.
That's a lovely idea, I have lots of plants that fall in to that category - but have never stopped to think about it. I'll have to think of something to bring up for you to remember Canterbury by - such a shame peonies don't do so well where you are though :-)
You are so blessed to have an aunt like that!!! And I love that you are starting cuttings from her garden!!
How interesting that Jeff and Janet Benge were your professors! That book on Eric Liddell was published by YWAM. You were involved with YWAM too, right?
Post a comment ( 3 )