Joy!

In 30 days, the month of June goes from the richest shade of green to these fireworks of color.  And ... although these are not blooming at the moment.... I just had to post some of the joy to come.

These pictures were taken by my interns Ashley and  Sonya last year.  Ashley has graduated and gone on to do amazing things.  Sonya is back but not as an intern.  Sonya is my sounding board ... the out-of-the-box-thinker who pushes Honey and I to do more and be more.  She keeps me laughing ... keeps me working ... keeps me aspiring.

We all need a Sonya in our lives.

And next week, Kelly starts.  Kelly is a student at Augustana College and will be here for the summer.  Sonya and I are happy to have someone else join us on our weeding adventures!!!  

 

So for today,  I will be planting the Jewels of Opar that arrives yesterday.  

And I will send you this wish .................

Bee happy!

Quoting Dr. Phil ............ sort of.

OK .... I am baring my soul today.

Fact .... I am very very insecure about my business. 

Very.

I want everyone to love it!  And although I think its just like chocolate cake .... not everyone likes chocolate cake.

And that insecurity is weird ... cuz I really don't care what you think about me!!!  You may not like my cooking ... I don't care.  You may not like my clothes ... I don't care.  You can tell me "I'd burn down that house!".... and I don't care.  I may think you are rude ... but I don't care.

But say something negative about my business .......... and it eats at me forever!!!!!

Yes ... it is story time.

A few years ago, an acquaintance called about bringing a group to the farm.  I told them about the hours, times, etc and what would be blooming and the conversation ended.

A couple of weeks later .... an older farm couple came to the farm.  They had driven quite a ways to "inspect" the farm for their daughter ... a member of the group.  They were quite upfront and honest that they were here to look everything over to see if it was worth the trip.

They questioned why anyone would tie tea cups to the tree.  They wondered about the hankies on the line.  They were confused about using a corn crib for dining. 

Maybe they were looking for beautiful gardens.... I plant my flowers in rows, like a cornfield.

Maybe they were looking for exotic flowers ... nope, just a lot of pretty zinnias, snapdragons and lisianthus. 

Maybe they were looking for shiny new buildings instead of worn paint, swoooopy roofs and 80 chickens.

Maybe they were so used to the patch work quilt of fields .... that they couldn't see past the corn to appreciate the view.

After they walked around the farm ... they said their goodbyes .... and walked to their cars.

I heard the old farmer say, "Ain't much here".

I never heard from my acquaintance again.

I know the old farmer was so used to seeing through Midwest eyes .... that the beauty of the little things was missed.  The usual and the unusual weren't worth the drive.

I listen to the tree frogs.  I hear the robins sing.  I see the wonder of a black-eyed susan unfurl its face to the sun.

But over and over and over, as I work through the gardens this spring, I hear "Ain't much here."

You are wondering where does Dr. Phil come in?  About now.

It takes a thousand "atta-boy-s" to erase one "ain't much here".

I'll be working on this for a while.

A walk down memory lane..............

No -- not me!  At the moment, I don't have time to find the memories!  I know I put them in a pile in the office ... and who know where they are!!!!  And the lane .... I'll find it in November!!!!

Yesterday ... we were working.  Sheepie Neighbor had stopped by for a brief moment when an unfamiliar car pulled in the lane.

The occupant kept looking at the house.  Stared ...... and stared ........ and stared at the house.

I asked if I could help her.  She asked if we had a store on the farm .......... and then she said, "My grandmother lived in this house."

I know you have seen this before ... our house circa 1927

She was surprised that we lived in the house as it needs paint. ;)

But when I talked to her ... and learned her memories ... and she told me about Sunday dinners in the kitchen ... I knew she loved this house. 

I learned of ball games that were played, the chicken coops.... the hog lot that is now my cutting garden.  The dairy barn that was over there ... and the creek where they splashed on a hot summer day.

And although ... we grew up in different states ... different areas ... our Sundays were so similar. 

She told me about her ill grandfather, sleeping on a daybed in our family room.  She told me about her grandmother, sitting in the bay window that was in  the kitchen, reading late into the night.  I heard about babies that died upstairs ... way too young.  I envisioned the stacks and stacks of dishes from a Sunday chicken dinner and a house full of laughter.

I told her about my process to get the house on the National Registry of Historic Places.  I told her about discovering the writing on the stairwell .........

 

I showed her some of the photos her late aunt had sent me.... and a map that showed the farm in 1906.

And I showed her "Jenny's Garden" ... unfortunately, still filled with weeds .... it was named for her grandmother and is filled with heirloom flowers.   

And I am certain .... a tear or two watered that little piece of ground.

Thanks Carol ... for stopping.   Come by again ... you are always welcome.