Monday, January 25, 2021

Ah, Memories

  

                Ah, Memories

This is a time that nourishes memories. Some of my friends are going through their closets and rediscovering things they had forgotten. One friend found a coat that she used to wear on cold days when walking her dog. Now her daughter wears the same coat while walking her own dog, appreciating its physical and emotional warmth. Another friend looked back on her quilting days and thought it might be good to re-explore that craft.

An African Violet plant on my kitchen windowsill brings back memories of my mother-in-law, may she rest in peace, who was a nature lover. She planted gardens outdoors and pots of plants indoors. She especially loved African Violets and gave me the plant that I still have. I’ve separated it several times, giving plants to my daughter, to my friend, to my sister and another one to myself.

Earlier this year I noticed that my poor African Violet seemed cramped so I replanted it in a little bit bigger pot.  It started to blossom. And it hasn’t stopped! I look at it each time I wash dishes or start to cook, amazed by its continuing beauty but also reminded of the gift my mother-in-law had with plants. Her skill continues to impress me but it is the plant itself that keeps a loving memory alive.

Caring for African Violets:

https://newengland.com/today/living/gardening/grow-african-violets/

2 comments:

  1. Wow, a similar experience just happened to me while going through my night table drawer. I found a letter I'd written to my mother while traveling cross country with my husband 51 years ago. It brought back wonderful memories of mother and our relationship.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice. Today I felt my sister looking over my shoulder when I was looking through my files and found a memoir we had been writing together.

    ReplyDelete