Another Summer Fragrance

Its not flowers this time... it is that familiar odor of lighter fluid for the charcoal grill. One of my son-in-laws and my nextdoor neighbor have remained in the 1970's before the advent of the propane grill and have charcoal grills. This afternoon while attempting to take a nap for the first time this season I took in a whiff of that liquid hitting the charcoals. Perhaps after it was lit.

Mom read somewhere that the fumes were not good for you and got into the food cooked on it and that was the end of the instant flame. From then on he twisted up newspaper and tucked it in between the briquettes making a fire be it ever so slow.

The odor this afternoon brought me back to those days when Dad would squeeze that can of Gulf and let it soak in for a few moments and then Boom- we were in business!

An Incredible Fragrance

Last evening when a gentle rain began to fall here on the Island I went outside to make sure the windows of the car were up. As I came back in the aroma of the newly blossomed honeysuckle filled the air. Each year they bring me back to the time when I grew up in Bellmore. It reminds me of how blessed I was to have the friends I still have. Robert Sanfilippo and I rode out to Center Moriches to see Coach Hughes and his wife this week. The Mancinis and the Sanfilippos kids enjoyed the benefits of the Bellmore School system and it athletic programs. We were reminded of that speaking to our Coach. He and Paul Limmer gave of themselves for many years to make great track and cross country teams.

The aroma of the honeysuckle reminds me of my dad and mom (who celebrate 56 years of marriage this week). They worked hard to make life good for us. They came to my meets and cheered me on.

One more thing this flower does- it brings out the kid in me. I grabbed a couple for my granddaughter yesterday. She has learned from Poppa how to get that drop of honey nectar out of the flower. That is why I have them in the backyard too- for the grandkids and this guy who will always be a kid at heart!

Those Amazing Seeds

The other day once again I planted sunflower seeds with the children of Good Shepherd Nursery School, next door. Those little 2, 3 4, and 5 years olds looked with wonder at the story of the seeds. One 53 year old (me :-) also gets all caught up in the wonder of creation. Nature is so wonderful. God's creation never ceases to amaze me. The way He built in is propagation is incredible.

Little seeds carry all that is needed (including a food source) to reproduce huge plants and trees. All that is needed is sunshine and soil and water.

Life has seeds. The things you plant come back to you. Sow good seed. You will reap what you sow.

Lima Beans

Among the things I did not enjoy as a boy were lima beans and gardening. When my mom would serve lima beans I would shiver as I ate them. Eventually I learned to like them.

My dad had a tomato patch in our backyard in Bellmore. It was my job to weed it. That wasn't much fun in the hot summer when I would prefer to do something else.

How times have changed. I enjoy lima beans and I love gardening. It didn't happen all of a sudden, but rather slowly- the gardening that is. Yesterday I put in a large portion of vegetables by seed. This morning we are getting showers. In a few weeks we'll begin to pull in some of the produce, in a few months we will be overrun and will be giving bags away.

The flowers continue to bloom. In July my backyard will be a gorgeous display of all kinds of flowers. I go out back for a break from the busy world. "The garden had been my therapy. Here among the flowers when the light is brand new and everything is fresh and wet and the leaves are beaded up with dew drops, I work in the household of nature and refresh my spirit." - Jeanne White

An hour spent in the garden puts life's problems into perspective.

What a Cool Balance!

Among the domesticated plants in my backyard there exists an interesting balance. Unlike the wildflowers, these guys need help or they will eventually die. I'm talking about the wide array from tulips to daylilies, from daffodils to irises. These do best if they are tended to.

I find it fascinating that God put Adam in the Garden of Eden with this in mind. It continues today. Gardens do best when people take care of them. Some plants are very dependent on the human factor. God could have made everything wild so that it would replenish itself without human aid. He didn't. Gardening gives us yet another avenue to commune with the Creator. That is one reason why I so enjoy it!