“Leave it,” I told my husband when he stood looking at the ragged spot where the tree had been, obviously not excited by the idea of patching it with sod. “I will make a garden out of it.” And I did. Each morning, after the first cup of tea, I put on my work jeans and went out to the front yard. I dug up old roots and branches that had been left behind. I planted roses and delphiniums and phlox. I planted lavender and clematis and foxgloves. I put in several small trees. As the weeks went by, the scar became a pretty cutting garden. And each day, when the sun climbed high in the sky and there was no shade to be found, I moved indoors, feeling guilty because I hadn’t gotten as much done there. I’d unpacked a great many of the boxes and I’d painted the rooms that needed it the most, but there was still so much to be done. “I’ll do all that this winter,” I told myself and anyone who would listen. “Those are chores I can do after the garden is done, when it’s too cold to work outside.” And now, it’s suddenly October. I have put the roses to bed, tucked under a mound of earth to protect them from freezing. I’ve staked the young tree to protect it from the winter wind. We’ve stacked firewood outside, filled the wood boxes by the fireplaces. There are only the daffodil and tulip bulbs to plant. Once they are in I’ll close the door and do all those chores I’ve saved for winter. I’ll finish the painting, hang the photos and organize the pantry. I’ll go into the cluttered study, a door I haven’t opened any more than necessary, and I’ll sort the stacks of papers that seem to multiply every week and put them away. I’ll hang the rest of the curtains and do all the little things I didn’t do while I was outside playing in the garden. And then, before I know it, fall will fade into winter and winter will melt into spring. And whenever I can I will sit in my favorite chair by the window, the one that looks out over my front yard, at the broken place I turned into something fragrant and beautiful. And I’ll daydream until summer comes around again.
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enior Helpers stands ready to serve your family’s needs with personalized, in-home care and expertly trained, professional caregivers. Let us ease your mind with a complimentary in-home care initial appointment. Call today to learn more.
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www.seniorhelpers.com/spokane Owners Mark & Tiffany Murphy, RN
Serving Spokane since 2006 spokanecda.com • OCTOBER • 2016
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