My Mind Goes Back

I can remember visiting my grandma during the summer years ago. Her neighbor had the most wonderful heavenly blue morning glories. They grew up a tee pee shaped support and completely covered it. We would hide under it and jump out and say Boo to the gardener... when he was working in the garden. Sounds so simple now that I tell it, but simple was the word in those days. We kids had to find our fun doing just simple things. As I remember his wife had the most glorious sweet peas. Does anyone grow sweet peas anymore? I think that I may try them next year. 

 Back to my childhood fun. We spent hours trying to catch butterflies in the field next to our house. It was really a pretty field, as I remember, full of wild flowers. At this time of year it would be mostly yellow and the gold finches really loved the many sunflowers. As I said just a day or two ago...we called them wild canaries. I would try to catch one and keep it for a pet.

We kids spent so much time outdoors...always dressed in little cotton dresses and seldom shorts. My mom would stand at that ironing board on the hottest of days, ironing everything we wore. She worked so hard....I now realize. The day we got our washer and dryer...I saw her cry. It was 1951 and she was pregnant with my brother. Up until then, we had an old wringer washer and a clothesline. The gentleman that my grandmother was a housekeeper for...surprised my mom with the two machines.She appreciated it so and for the latter part of his life...he could depend on our family to take care of him.  

As I grew up, I became interested in gardening. One year I had the biggest tomato plants around. The plants were in the side yard and people passing by would slow down their cars to look at them. I saw a way to support them on the Martha Stewart Show, that year. She showed how to make tee pee supports with bamboo poles. I had only to see this method, before I was out looking for the poles. I had three tee pees. Nine tomato plants. They grew so tall and as they grew I kept tying them up. Well, my little grandsons came to play and they would get inside those tee pees and hide from me....just like I did with the morning glories. They did this on their own, so I guess it was in their genes:)

This brings me to today when my favorite for the month of September has to be the Sweet Autumn Clematis. I don't have it trained on a tee pee, but on a fence. It's the way I envisioned it, when I planted it there. I can also see it growing in my yard on a tee pee shaped support  with little faces peering out from below.

Well, today is actually chilly. A wonderful day for gardening, I won't be gardening, however. I have been invited to my friend Elizabeth's for lunch. I've written about her before. She is nearing ninety years old and appologized ahead of time for her lunch. She said, "I haven't cooked in years...we will have what I have everyday for lunch." Knowing this lady...I'm sure it will be tasty and I am looking forward to our visit.

Balisha