Diary of a Gardener I’m Taking a Trip

I am taking a trip. It is a trip that will keep me away from my garden for a weekend, which is unusual for me. It is a trip I make each spring, after the weather has warmed. This year the trip feels different. It is the first trip I have made to my hometown since my aunt’s passing, except for her funeral. Each time I visited I would spend part of my days with her and part of my days with my grandparents and dad. The thoughts of not seeing her make me sad, but also very appreciative of the time I had with her.

My grandparents are aging faster than I hoped for, but at 91 and 90 I am prepared for whatever comes next. They have now entered a nursing facility and I know time is precious at this point. One of the reasons I am going is to visit them before their health declines further. It is difficult to watch them age, become unhappy with their situation and not feel well. Again, I try to be grateful for the time I have had with them. Not many people get to have grandparents this long.

They all have been such a presence in my life, taught me so many lessons, given me so much love, encouragement and participated in my life. It is a blessing and a privilege.

Along the journey there I enjoyed seeing hills, there are no hills where I live in FL. It is nice to see wildflowers growing along the interstate and the Kentucky flowers coming to life just as I arrive. It brings me back to my roots and why I eventually fell into this business of plants and flowers. Never in my wildest dreams as a child or young adult have imagined this for myself, but here I am doing what I love and participating with so many people helping them create a green oasis for themselves. I think my family would be proud. Afterall many of them made a living farming. I like to say plants are in my blood.

So, as I travel, I will take mental snapshots of the different flora and fauna of states I drive through and visit. When I get home, I will appreciate my little garden on Grove a bit more.