I got my flowers planted. That’s for my daughter in case she checks in on the blog this week. She was here last weekend and we went to the greenhouse so I could pick out a belated mom’s day present from her. She’s quite the gardener and loves planting and making things beautiful. So we picked out this big patio pot and plants to put in it for my deck that’s not built yet but soon will be. Then last Monday when she had to go home she was regretting that we hadn’t gotten the pot planted. I know why. She thought I’d let those beautiful flowers die in their seedling pots. But I got it done. It was on my list of gotta do’s yesterday, but then I had to go get some potting dirt and so the gotta do got pushed back until today. The flowers look great. I’d tell you what they are, but I’d have to go hunt up the little pot stickers to know the names. I just know they are very pretty and are supposed to thrive in the sun.
It was a busy day. My granddaughter, Jillian turns big three tomorrow and she had her party at the park today. It was a fantastic blue sky and lots of sunshine and fun day. She got clothes she was actually excited about, a fishing pole, and a bike. There were plenty of cousins there to help her celebrate and a dad to go down the slide with her. Her little sister slept through the festivities. She’s almost seven weeks old and growing. All the way up to nine pounds now. And Jillian is still enjoying being the big sister.
When I came home I had to pick the strawberries, so it was after sundown before I got to take my walk. That’s a good time to walk on the farm. Peaceful and fragrant. When I wrote my first Hollyhill book, The Scent of Lilacs, the sweet fragrance of lilacs and of locust blooms played a part in the story. But tonight the sweet fragrance wafting on the early evening air was honeysuckle. And fresh mown hay. It was great. Thank goodness I’m not allergic to pollen. Of course on my farm sometimes a not so pleasant fragrance can break through in the cow pasture. My sweet big old Saint Bernard neighbor dog, Roxie, loves to roll in the cow piles. Then of course she wants to come be petted after she’s put on her perfume. She’s a mess.
But scents can bring alive memories faster than almost anything. The smell of Wrigleys’ Spearmint gum takes me right back to my dating days at the drive-in movies because Darrell used to love to chew gum when we were going out. Maybe to make sure his breath was fresh, you think? Jergens lotion makes me think of Mom because she always liked that kind of lotion best. Still does. Isn’t it funny how such little things can trigger a memory? Sounds can do it too. And of course a song can take you back to a memory time in an instant. Writers use that kind of thing to make their characters come to life too.
I’m chugging away on my book. I’m hoping and praying I’ll write the end next week. But it’s going to be crazy around here. They’re laying my new floor tomorrow. They painted Saturday. The guy put in the lights on Friday. It’s coming along. Faster than my book, actually. But I’m hoping to be fast next week. A fast writer, that is. Good would be nice, but that’s optional. Fast is necessary.
Hope you have a lot of things trigger all your best memories this week. I’m going to draw the winner for my book giveaway tomorrow. You’ve still got a little time to get in on the drawing if you send me an e-mail – fast. By sundown Monday. Sounds like a line out of an old Western – only that might be high noon. I’m giving away one of my last four books (winner’s choice) and Virginia Smith’s Age Before Beauty. Then starting next month I’ll start a two a month give-away for my new book, The Believer. Stay tuned for details.
Thanks for reading.