In the Garden

I've known a lot of gardens in my life, if only peripherally. When I was a child, I was in my grandfather's garden a lot. Trailing after him, I listened to story after story as he worked; planting, weeding and harvesting.

I think this is one of the reasons I love to tell tales. My great-grandfather (on the other side) loved to tell stories too, as did my own daddy.

As I became a young adult, gardens more or less disappeared from my thoughts altogether. I was too busy learning how to do a job through education and work experience, and for a while I lived away, close to the city.

Both sets of grandparents couldn't wait to garden in a big way as soon as they retired. In fact, the year before my grandfather died, he gardened on his knees, using a tater sack to slide himself down each row so he could plant, weed and harvest.

My grandmother (other side) crossed the creek to tend to her garden, delighted to have one again. (After all, her daddy said she was the best hoer in the county.)

Neither of my parents were gardeners. In fact, they pretty much ran the other way if the word was said aloud.

But a lot of my friends' parents still gardened, and they learned skills that I never did.

A few years ago, we (meaning Husband) began with a small raised garden, and we've enjoyed the tomatoes, beans, potatoes, onions, cukes and a squash or two from it.

One of my best friends (the tall, blonde, talented one) has tended her own kitchen garden, as well as her ailing, aging parents giant garden. She says every year it's the last time. But she found herself once again this year plowing, planting, weeding and harvesting.

She told me the other day, "This is the last time."

I said, "Um hmmm."

She just shook her head.

Well, yesterday while working in the big garden, my friend may have broken, and  if not broken, hurt badly, one of those long legs of hers when she stepped in a big old hole.

Me, along with a bunch of others, have prayed without ceasing for her. She is the main caretaker of her parents. She works two jobs, one of them driving a school bus. She leads a vital Bible study and prayer group and about a million other things I don't have space to name.

I talked with one of our mutual friends yesterday, and we are all signing up to take over her life if necessary; and I don't mean this in a bad way. But together, we can take care of her, her house, her cooking, her parents and whatever else her poor husband can't do alone.

You may even find us in the garden.