My mum called me on Sunday while I was up in the garden. My dad was supposed to go into surgical examination on Thursday to see why he was still having a sore throat and trouble swallowing after they’d blasted the cancer with radiation therapy. That was postponed due to his regiment of blood-thinning drugs, so he went in today.
Anyway, on Sunday I spoke to my Mum for nearly two hours. A long time, given that I hate being on the phone. The first hour was all about my Dad, and the second hour was almost entirely about… Roses!
(I know that’s an asters, not a rose, but it’s a plant I got from my Mum’s garden, so it is appropriate in this entry!)
My Mum is trying so hard to cope with my Dad’s illness and arranging the move and everything, and it seems her relief from all the “serious” stuff is to think about the garden. When Life is all about the next six months, at times it’s good to think about the next six years, as one does when planning a garden.
(Okay, this is not a rose, either, but it’s also from my Mum’s garden)
We garden for the future, and planning a garden is all about imagining what Life will be like years ahead. My Mum wants a garden for two, and I hope that’s what she gets.
(Both the images above were taken in our garden, but the plants come from my Mum’s garden.)