A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Sled

My neighbor, Ruth and I had similar interests. Gardening and reading for the most part. She was about my age, when we met. I was in my 40's. There was quite an age difference. We gardened across a green alley from each other. I started my love affair with Redbud trees at that time. They grew in her "natural area" as she called it. She told me that her dad and mom brought all the Redbuds in our little town up from Southern Illinois and gave them to people. Her dad was a builder and built many of the old homes in our town. We visited everyday, gardened, swapped plants, shared baked treats etc. She was the most generous person I have ever known. She never went to the store without bringing me the newest jelly, household cleaner, lambswool duster, paints and pens and so on. So, when in her old age, she decided to move to Georgia to be nearer her kids...needless to say we were heart broken. They had a big sale before they left. I helped get things ready for it and even though I knew that this was the best thing for them...it was hard. One day I heard a knock at the back door. Here was Ruth holding an old sled. She said that she had had many hours of fun with this old thing. She lived across the street from the park, and she would go sledding there during her childhood winters. She still lived in the house next door to her original home when she was growing up.
At that time I was busy with my painting. Christmas was the busiest time of the year. People brought me milk cans, saws, and sleds to be painted. She thought that I could paint this one. I looked at it and told her that I would never paint it. I would use it at Christmas to decorate my house and remember her and our fun together. Before moving she brought over some very old pictures of her, when she was a little girl. I decided to decoupage them to the back of the sled, so I could look at them every year. Ruth is gone now, but I think of her every time I see glitter, Queen Anne's Lace, May Flowers, Johnny Jump Ups, Trillium, Jack in the Pulpits, Dogtooth Violets, Bittersweet, Holly and the Hampshire Forest Preserve (where she would "spirit away (her words) some wildflowers that they would never miss." She was someone who baked cookies for all the shut ins in town, the merchants, the firemen, and the people at the post office. She always added a little "doo dad" that she had made...covered with glitter...she was the glitter queen. I miss her.
Balisha

9 comments:

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Great story Balisha. Proving again it our likenesses that bring us together not our age.

Eileen

Lona said...

Now that is a wonderful way to make a keepsake. I love the look of the wood with the photos. Very pretty Balisha.
Wishing you and yours a Wonderful Christmas.

Balisha said...

Hi Eileen,
I remember this friendship with Ruth... whenever I find myself meeting new people who are younger than I am.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Lona,
I knew that if I put the pictures away in a box...I would never look at them. This way I remember her every Christmas.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hello Kasthurirajam,
I want to thank you for reading and then leaving a comment. I just visited your blog and saw the beautiful things you create. The swans are so intricate and delicate. You must be a very patient person. Come again...Balisha

Pat said...

A wonderful post of a wonderful friendship. Just love the sled and your idea to use the photos with it. Thanks for sharing this heartwarming story.

Diana LaMarre said...

What a wonderful tribute to your dear friend! The pictures on the sled are such a unique way to remember her.

Racquel said...

What a wonderful way to remember someone that meant so much to you Balisha. :)

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Balisha, your sharing brought to mind two ladies that once lived in this area. I could drop in anytime. They shared flowers, food and taught me to crochet. They were so good to me. Oh how I miss them. I moved back to a rural area for nature. But the special people have gone on.