The Garden

         With a freshly steeped cup of strawberry flavored green tea, Angela stepped  through the french doors onto her patio.  She stopped briefly to take in the sights  and sounds of her garden and smiled widely; a glint of happiness touching her eyes.  The morning sun was breaking through oak trees at the far corner of the yard and two  cardinals were chasing each other playfully between the magnolias.  It was early  June and the gardenias were in full bloom, painting the morning air with their  fragrence.  Bumblebees darted from flower to flower, dancing around the lush thicket  of lavender.  The southern magnolias displayed large white blossoms perched atop its  branches, looking as though a breeze might at any moment send them spinning off like  tops. 
         
         Angela spent much of her time in the garden; deadheading spent blooms,  trimming up runaway branches, and tending to every detail to ensure each plant's  beauty was maximized.  It wasn't all work, of course.  There were times, like this  morning, where she would join her aging cat, Randolph, on the bench swing and just  sit and enjoy her efforts.  Randolph raised his lazy head and purred at Angela when  she took her seat next to him.  Her hand reached out to scratch the underside of his  jaw just the way he liked, and he squinted his eyes, content.  She had just  stretched her legs out on the ottoman ready to sip her tea when the phone rang.  And  wasn't it just her luck, she'd left the phone inside.
         
         Sighing, she went inside to answer the call.  "Good morning, Angela  speaking."

         "Hi, Mom.  Good morning to you!  It's not too early is it?" 

         "No, dear.  I was just about to enjoy some tea with Randolph on the back  porch.  What can I do for you?"

         "Well, I won't keep you.  I need to ask a favor, however, for tomorrow.  I'm  going to take Ethan in for a doctors visit in the morning, and was hoping you could  keep an eye on Lauren for me for a bit.  I'd come by around 8:30, if that's OK."
         
         "Of course, honey, I'd love to have her by.  I'll make breakfast if you want  to come earlier.  She can help me in the yard afterwards."

         "Thanks, Mom!  We'll be by shortly before 8, then.  Thanks again.  I love  you."

         "I love you too, dear. See you tomorrow."

         Angela hung up and returned to her cooling cup of tea and brought out a book  of crossword puzzles to help her while away some time.  She never worked in the yard  on Sundays.

         The next morning Lauren burst through the front storm door nearly knocking  the front table over when she slid over the hard wood flooring on the woolen door  mat.  "Hi Gramma!", she squealed.

         "Ohh!", exclaimed Angela, her arms suddenly full of excited 10 year old.  She laughed, "Be careful, honey, you're going to hurt yourself on that rug one of  these days." 

         "OK.", replied Lauren, and with that she made her way into the living room  calling after Randolph.

         Dora came to the front door next with Ethan in one arm and a large baby bag  slung over the other.  Angela took the bag from her daughter and kissed them both.  "Good morning, little one."

         Dora followed her mother into the kitchen.  The smell of freshly brewed  coffee and pancakes hung deliciously in the air.  The table was set, a plate of  sliced cantaloupe and pitcher of orange juice inviting her to sit for a quick meal.  "Sorry we're late, mom.  Can I help you with anything?"

         "No, that's alright, I think I can still manage a simple breakfast.",  answered Angela giving her daughter a small wink.  "Lauren, come eat some breakfast  with us before your mother has to leave."

         The meal passed with Lauren going on about swimming at her friend's house  and bike riding in the neighborhood.  She took small breaks to shovel a syrup laden  forkful of pancake into mouth, then continued on before completely finishing to  chew.  Dora rolled her eyes, and shook her head.  "Honey!  We're listening, just  finish chewing first."

         Dora pushed back her chair after eating and fussed with Ethan in his car  seat carrier.  Digging into the large blue bag with cartoon baby elephants and  tigers on it, she found a rolled up pair of infant socks.  "I brought Ethan's socks  that you gave him.  Are you planting today?"

         "Yes, I think so.  Seems like a nice day for it."

         The four of them parted ways for the remainder of the morning.  Mother and  son went to the pediatrician and Angela with her granddaughter cleaned the breakfast  dishes and went outside to the garden.

         Lauren got right down to business.  She loved helping her grandmother in the  yard.  Filling a blue plastic bucket, she pulled the weeds up, roots and all when  she could.  She would glance over at her grandmother, beaming proudly, whenver she  managed to get up a particularly tough weed.                     
         
         Meanwhile Angela was deadheading the Asian Lilies, their flowering time  nearly done.  The spent petals coloring the ground in orange, yellow and white.  After the lilies, she trimmed up the holly bush.  The holly always
grew quickly, shooting out branches in all directions.
         
         Tiring of pulling weeds, Lauren stopped momentarily to watch her grandmother  snipping off branches.  She noticed how careful her cuts were and how she'd step  back and view the shrub each time to make sure she wasn't taking off too much or  making things uneven.  She saw what she could describe as love for the plants.  Seeing how much respect and care her grandmother showed her garden, Lauren went back  with renewed interest in the task.

         Soon after, Lauren walked up to her grandmother, with a bucket brimming with  weeds.  "I'm done.", a big cheesey smile played on her lips.

         "Well done!  Enough with the tending then, let's go plant something new!",  said Angela, looking back at her granddaughter as she walked towards the shed.  "Bring the bucket."

         After retrieving the tools needed Angela walked towards the back side of the  yard near a hedge of sizzling pink lorapetalum.  She was pushing a wheelbarrow that  had in it a bucket of soil with fertilizer, a shovel, pruning shears and a small  japanese maple.  About fifteen feet from the hedge she stopped at a small 'X' of  limerock dust.

         "X marks spots, right?", said Angela taking the shovel out of the  wheelbarrow.

         "Maybe we'll find pirate treasure!", suggested Lauren getting excited.  She'd always been asked to help her Gramma in the garden, but was never around for a  new planting.  She could see how happy Gramma was, and thought it must be something  special to plant a tree.

         "We might not find any treasure, dear, but we'll certainly bury some."  Angela looked around at the sun, and saw it was beginning to peak out from behind  the oak's banches.  The magnolias, standing about twenty feet tall, stood bordering  the yard about forty feet to the left.  There should be just the right about light  and shade at the 'X', she thought.  "It's important that you pick just the right  spot for your new plants.  Each plant needs a different about of light.  They also  should add to the look of the garden, and not take over anything. You know, be  neighborly.  There are some plants that take a few years to fill out and take their  rightful place and make themselves be heard.  Take your roses, for example.  The  first two years after I'd planted them, they were scraggly and their flowers, while  still beautiful, didn't look anything like they now do."

         "Is that because you know how to take care of them, right, Gramma?"

         "Party, dear.  Mostly, though, some things in life take time to take hold.  We don't get to see the beauty in things right away.  If we are patient, though,  life will show us what we need to see."

         The hole dug, Angela took the sapling, removed the burlap sack around its  rootball, and set it next to the hole.  She then reached into her pocket and pulled  out Ethans socks that her daughter had given her earlier.  She then placed the socks  gently into the hole, set the new maple on top of them, making sure the stem was  straight, and covered the roots with potting soil from the bucket.  After making  sure the dirt was mounded properly and the new tree was watered, they made their way  back to the house.

         Lauren waited for Gramma to finish washing her hands in the wash room sink.  "Why did you put Ethan's socks in the hole?  He won't be able to wear them  anymore.", she asked, thoroughly confused.

         Angela smiled down at her granddaughter, "Well, they mark that maple as his.  Do you know how I say those roses are yours?  Well, when I first planted them,  nearly 10 years ago, I placed your infant cap into the soil also.  The way I see  it, a small piece of you is helping to keep those roses as beautiful as they are.  Whenever I'm out in the garden, I can look at them and feel like you are here with  me.  Now your baby brother will be out here along with us."

         "Is anyone else in the garden?", asked Lauren moving up to wash her hands  now.

         "More than that, dear.  When you've finished cleaning up and changing out of  your dirty pants, come into my library.  I want to show something."          

         Angela sat on her rocking chair, surrounded by shelves of books, family  pictures and various memorabilia.  She stared out the window to the front yard.  On  her lap sat a small leather bound book.  It looked well worn, as though she had read  it a hundred times.

         Lauren came in and hopped into the recliner next to Gramma.  "What did you  want to show me?"

         "I wanted you to see this book.  It's a map to my own pirate's treasure.".  Her granddaughter's eyes grew with excitement and she leaned forward anxiously  waiting to see the map.

         "Really?"
         
         Angela chuckled at the reaction, "Well, yes and no, dear.  You won't find  ancient maps of deserted islands, but what's in here is worth more to me than all  the gold in the world".  She handed the book over to Lauren, who had by now jumped  out of her recliner, curiosity getting the best of her.

         The young girl briefly admired the cover of the book, which had a lone oak  stamped into it.  She opened the book to a random page somewhere near the beginning.  Inside she read the following, written in her grandmother's neat script.

         Sept. 23, 1972

         For my dear brother, Clifford.  You have meant the world to me and I will  always treasure the times we shared, the good and the bad.  You never thought twice  about lending a hand or telling me things I needed to hear, no matter how hard they  were some times.  I miss you terribly.

         Japanese Cherry Tree - dog tag


         - Thinking about the first time you let me play baseball with your friends.  Thanks for including your little sister, even though your friends didn't want some  girl to play. 

         - I was talking to Jerry tonight about your decision to go to Vietnam.  I  know you are still over us protecting us, even now, but it pains me that your niece  will never know the wonderful man you were.

                                                           ....
         
         Lauren looked up at her grandmother, saddened and confused.
         
         "Keep reading, honey.  Pick another page.", suggested Angela.  Lauren  flipped a few pages further.

         
         March 14, 1976

         Robert Joseph Norton is born!  At 7 lbs. 12 oz. and 21 inches, little Robert  entered my world.  I could not be happier on this day. 

         Southern Magnolia - bib

         
         Lauren flipped to another page.

         May 23, 1981

         BS in Mathematics from USC.  I finally, made it through!  I'm so proud of my  accomplishment and thankful for Robert's supporting me.

         Fragrant Tea Olive - Final exam


         "Is this your diary, Gramma?"

         "Sort of, yes.", she looked over at her granddaughter.  "On each page of the  book, so far, I've written down some of the most important memories of my life.  The  people I've known, the things we've done.  Some of it is good and some of it is bad,  but it is all there for me to look back on."

         "Why are there plants listed?"

         "The reason I care so much for my garden, is that it holds the memories of  my life.  I plant something personal with every tree and bush so each marks a moment of happiness or loss for me.  Even  some of my regrets have earned a place in the yard.  They are all a part of who I  am, and have all contributed to my life.  Taking care of the plants I have listed on  each page, helps me remember those wonderful moments and people, as well the lessons  I've learned from my mistakes.  When you get a little older, you'll understand a bit  more, but keep this mind.  Cherish your family and friends, and don't get too  disappointed when things don't seem to work out for you.  Remember your roses.  Sometimes it takes time for things to make their beauty known."