Legacy

I sat on the simple concrete bench in Papa's garden and thought about the things you believed.

You went to church every Sunday and slipped an envelope into the collection plate.

You appreciated the value of an education and you passed that along to me.

You felt engineering was superior to other professions, except possibly the priesthood.

You could repair anything.  No appliance was too old to last another year.

I rarely saw you with friends but you were deeply committed to family, even shirttail cousins.

Happy Veterans Day to my favorite soldier.  Thank you for your service.

Long shadows

Summer is long over but the garden is lush and full.  The gravel walkway to the front door is littered with fallen leaves.  Heavy with seeds, perennials bend into the path.

 

Trees cast long shadows in November. 





 

 

The smooth gray trunk of the Japanese maple in Papa's garden grows more beautiful with age.

 

 

 

Dogwoods and oaks form the understory and canopy in my front garden.  Half of the dogwoods planted themselves.

 

 

 

Years ago, the dogwoods and oaks in this part of the garden got their start from seed deposed by a bird or squirrel.  Now these plants are near maturity.  

 



One large patch of Blue Brazilian sage (Salvia guaranitica) is still blooming but the hummingbirds and bees are gone.

At the end of the day, gold spicebushes and red dogwoods invite us to stroll down the driveway to the thin patch of light at the end.

The transitory beauty of the mature garden in autumn.