I’ve been off-line for a while now. My Mom died last week. There are a lot of things to work on but now I will refocus this blog more to my activities.
Mom’s death closes a chapter in our lives. When someone close leaves us we need to mourn and find closure. I have had very little personal time. I find myself concentrating on many of the estate activities. Maybe I am just trying to keep myself lost from reality? I have many questions and concerns but little place to find the correct advice.
I am sitting a Border’s in Novi, MI. It just started pouring rain with thunder and lightning. My writing professors in college always pointed out that rain was a symbolism of a major change in the story or movie. Doesn’t seem to be that for me. I can remember sitting in the old house in Detroit, counting the time from lightning to thunder. Never seem to be driven to a goal just marking time. The parking lot is being washed down from the day’s dirt. Everything seems to be clearing out.
It is now two weeks later, June 2nd. The thunder just cracked overhead and the rain is starting. I am trying to make time for myself and not worry about what doesn’t get completed. During the day I write a list of things I want to finish. The next day I cross out those I’ve completed. Its my project management mindset. This morning, after working out with the “Biggest Loser DVD”, I hit the flower garden for 40 minutes. I had to quit when the thunder started to roll across the sky. I never saw any lightning. I have always liked gardening. My dad had me turning over his flower bed on Waltham, when I was a kid. This helps me remember him. Then I had to plant the gladiola bulbs. One time I took a bite of one to see what would happen. I didn’t get sick but I didn’t feel good either. Welcome to my dark side. We a neighbor that grew rose bushes like magic. He made labels for them with their names. I have a few roses but I am not very good with cultivating them. The winter really attacks them, freezing them & drying them out.
While my family was here, resting and mourning, my sister was sitting out on my deck. She was admiring a small purple and yellow flower in one of my un-weeded flower beds. I told her I had no idea where it came from nor what is that flower’s name. Today I was weeding that section. I have a lot of Black-Eyed Susan’s growing in an area close by this bed. Problem with them is they are very aggressive in overtaking other areas. You really need to control them. Dad always told me that if you didn’t plant them in that spot then they are a weed. Joan still loves ’em but to me they’re a weed. So they were getting pulled. Then I saw these Purple and Yellow things. Sorry, they are weeds too. They are gone, like things that didn’t belong. If the rain stops then I am going to go out & pick up a couple flowers and fill the pots on the deck. I’ll keep you up to date.
Bampa's Views 
AHHH! I just planted Black Eyed Susans all over the front of the house. I’m growing them from seed! I guess I’ll have to keep them under watch. But – I really wouldn’t care of they took over the whole bed. I’m going for color with very little replanting. It’s cheaper that way. Yikes, that maybe becoming my new motto.
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Well, weeds or not, I like the way you write Joe. You are able to “draw me into” the story you are telling. Keep ’em coming.
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thx
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Nice thoughts Joe but maybe a little too “black and white” thinking on whether it’s a weed or not. it reminded me of when Susan was about 10-years old. We took a water color class together. We were sitting outside the studio and drawing/painting our choice of scene. I remember trying to capture the whole wide scene, the mountains in the background, the bougainvillea in the foreground, the prairie architecture of the studio building, etc. I looked around for Susan and found her sitting on the ground under the low hanging canopy of a large bougainvillea painting a solitary weed with purple flowers. I said, Susan, honey, that’s a weed. She looked up rather surprised and said, “So what, I think it’s beautiful.”
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Is it a weed because you didn’t plant it and it is there uninvited? What about birds and the wind bringing uninvited but welcome additions to the garden? Granted, the majority of them (seeds) are not welcome and can choke out the beautiful plants and flowers; but sometimes we get lucky and can host a new addition to our landscape.
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