"There is something in all of us which responds to something we have known in our childhood. It may be a scent, or a touch, or a sight, or anything which evokes a memory. For some of us this evocation arises from the recollection of flowers we saw growing in our grandparents' gardens and now search for in vain."
~ Vita Sackville-West
There couldn't be a better quote to go with these two pots of flowers. Throughout our married years I know I've often mentioned that my paternal grandparents had a huge garden in their backyard. It was filled with all sorts of veggies and herbs, as well as flowers. I used to love to cut flowers with my grandmother, and then she'd give me all sorts of lace, doilies, hankies, and ribbons and let me make corsages or bouquets. It was always great fun! Even though she had a great assortment of flowers, the ones that have always stood out in my memory are her zinnias. They were all different colors and a main feature, and to this day whenever I see zinnias, I'm reminded of her.
When my husband and I were down at the Gulf about a month ago we passed a garden that had some zinnias, and I mentioned that it reminded me of my grandmother. My husband is the one who keeps up with the yard work and gardening and buying flowers for the various pots we have in the yard, and he always buys impatiens or geraniums. This past Sunday he went out to Home Depot to pick up a few things for some work he was doing here in the house, and never said anything about his purchases. He was out late in the afternoon doing yardwork, but I didn't go outside until Monday morning, when I went to get the mail. When I walked to the mailbox and went past the two pots (that had previously had some failing flowers), I noticed that he had planted pink zinnias in one, and yellow zinnias in another :)
I've been keeping them watered each day as they're having a little trouble from our hot weather, but they seem to be doing pretty well... and bringing nice memories of my grandmother each time I see them!
3 comments:
What a lovely story about your grand parents; and how nice that your husband thought of you like that. In France a famous writer, Marcel Proust, wrote about a little biscuit "a medeleine" which reminded him so many memories when he was eating one after dipping it into a cup of thea.
What a sweet thing for Dennis to have done for you! Nothing speaks more love than honoring your feelings. I hope your summer with be filled with many blossoms on these zinnias and even more moments of happy memeories of your grandmother!
What a sweet, thoughtful man. That was a dear thing for him to do, and I love the way it was a surprise.
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