Shutterbug

I made an impromptu visit to my folks, Truck (name given to him by a grandchild years ago and it stuck), and Dame Judi ( given by a sibling on her blog, and it stuck). One way to get to their house is a back country road. It is really pretty. There where several stands of Fireweed or Rose Bay Willow,whichever you prefer. I wanted to stop and take a picture, but this road has no shoulder to it, so I was unable to stop. I was in a mood to snap a pix or two.



Once at my folks, I chatted with Truck, interrupting his game of solitaire on the computer. Then, he went back to work and Dame Judi and I chatted. Shortly after leaving Truck come back home as they needed to go to town, with an offer of the best burger ever, I went and had lunch with them. Most of the conversation , in between the continual napkin usage, was of High School chums and reunions. My is next weekend. 30 years. I don't know who felt older, me or my parents. But I digress. Before we left for lunch, I managed to take a few quick photos of my mom's garden.



She is a wonderful gardener. She really has a green thumb. I always love being in her gardens. I even inherited a garden she started once. It was at a parsonage. My dad pastored the church for a couple years and then about 3 years later my husband ended up pastoring the same church. Dame Judi had created a most wonderful garden there from nothing. I reaped the benefits of her hard labor. It was a grand garden!



The garden she has now is wonderful as well. A row of lavender line both sides of her walkway to the house. Tall, soft colored hollyhocks great you at the front door. And then there is the back yard. A place of true respite and repose. Whenever I come to her house, after the usual tribal hugs, I always exit through the kitchen, peer through the back window and then find myself wandering the pathways. Sniffing roses and sweet peas, picking red currants of the bushes, brushing my hand across more lavender. My new favorite is walking on the cocoa husks she has edging some raised beds. Oh the fragrance! When it is warm out, and barefoot, as I always am, the husks leave chocolaty spots on my feet. Makes me want to lick them clean. Sorry, but there it is.



I have missed not gardening this summer. I am grateful there is still some summer left. In 4 short days, I move into my new home. The gal who has lived there is a gardener. The yard is wonderful already. There won't be much for me to do this year, but oh, just to get some dirt under my fingernails.