March 12th in the Garden

When we went shopping for a four bedroom home 21 years ago, I thought we were looking for a pool home. One weekend of showing us houses and our realtor told us that we could really care less if we had a pool. But we had to have a view and we craved privacy.
My first impression at the curb was "no way" would I buy a home on so steep a street. But for my husband it was love at first sight. He said the yard smelled like vacation. The canyon behind us was thick with chaparral and wildlife.



Here's more feverfew popping up along the pathway. It mixes so merrily with the little geranium and alyssum. No sunny garden should be without alyssum. It reseeds with such abandon that it is taken for granted. It shouldn't be. It smells of honey. The first time I noticed this was the day Sharon Shepherd let me accompany her to her appointment at City of Hope. The entryway to the hospital was full of the scent from a groundcover of it. Since then, the sight and smell of alyssum, I am filled with the memories of this truly great woman.

Sharon loved her family and her Christian faith never waivered. An elegant woman, she loved beauty and simplicity. She taught me to love any flower that looked like a daisy.

And finally the orchid. My mother's favorite flower. This one sits on the western edge of the patio. Its bright yellow color cuts through even thick fog. When I look out the kitchen window when it is in bloom, I know how lucky I am still be able to talk to her almost every day. Someday she will be gone, but I will have the orchid to remember her bright smile.