In my Garden

The kiss of the sun for pardon,The song of the birds for mirth,One is nearer God's heart in a gardenThan anywhere else on earth.~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts

It is a comfortable garden.No fancy planting here.Even the moles have helped, shovelling seeds underground so that they pop up in unexpected places

Snails live here in peace too.There is enough to go around.

I would like to have ducks to help with the growing snail population.But the resident paws would not tolerate that.

Large Rainspiders make their hammocks in the Agapanthas and only visit us indoors when they need to tell us that there is rain on the way.

I know every corner of this garden.It wraps around this aging house like a green shawl around an old lady's shoulders.

I am so fortunate to be here.

Emma...

Feather...

The day before Alan passed he had a special date with Emma.She was four years old then.They went with her playgroup to The World of Birds in Hout Bay.A Daddy and his Girl outing.The next morning he was gone.

A few weeks later in a lonely,sad moment I sat in his closet.It was a comfort to be surrounded by his clothes and still sense the scent of him there.His warmest jacket was closest to me and I put my hand in the deep pocket.I felt the feather ,tucked in there for safekeeping.I gave it to Emma as a special momento of that day.

A few weeks later Emma was playing on the verandah with a piece of luminous chalk her Uncle John had brought her from America.She drew an enormous circle on the paving.

"I am just marking a place so my Dad knows where to look for me" , she said wisely.

Months later we were in the garden.Emma was playing on the lawn.It was an airless day with a very blue sky.A feather gently wafted down, just whispering past Emma's little face.

"Look Mom,Dad got my message and he has replied!!!" She still has both the feathers.Safely tucked away.