What a weekend. I'm ready for the week to begin so I can get some rest! So much to do, and so little time to cram it all in.
I spent quite a bit of time on Saturday dealing with the procrastination regarding the lawn, particularly the back yard. I picked up a couple of inexpensive items to help "tame" the hummingbird vine a bit (okay, so I'm going to try to trick it into becoming what I want it to be, not what it wants to do!), but the biggest job was just getting the mowing done.
The front yard is almost always pretty easy, and the back more difficult, especially since it takes longer to dry out after several days of rain. BUT, by the time I made it to the back yard, I was absolutely thrilled to see one of my Shasta Daisies blooming.
I had planted these buggers last summer, and loved them while they bloomed. I wish they had bloomed longer.
One of the reasons I planted a couple of different kind of daisies was because of a very special lady named Daisy who I had known since I was 4 years old. That's a long time.
When we moved into our house, Daisy and her husband and three boys, already lived next door. The family is present in so many memories of my childhood, especially before I started school.
Daisy (but I NEVER called her that to her face) ran a pre-school at the Baptist church around the corner from our houses; I went for pre-school, but not kindergarten. That was before kindergarten was required, plus my brother went and I soaked up everything he brought home! Then, once we were both in school, we went to the pre-school before school started, along w/ Daisy's boys, then we were sent off to our regular day of learning.
One thing we made as a craft at Christmas when I was in pre-school I've actually held on to. It's not a big deal, and it's certainly not inspired artistically, but it meant a lot to me at the time, and it continues to hold very special meaning to me.
Of course, as the years went by, I saw less of Daisy and the rest of the family, so busy with my own trials and tribulations (yeah, right). It wasn't until I was an adult that I really appreciated the example the parents next door set for the entire neighborhood.
Oh, there were definitely times there were issues between our family and theirs (and yes, the rumor that I chased their youngest son with a baseball bat because he wanted to kiss me is true; I was 5 and he was 6. EWWW). Yet, they never festered and grew into problems. This was a family that faced life and all that was thrown at them head-on, trusting that God would see them through.
Daisy had several medical issues over the years, including a couple of bouts with a few different types of cancer. Yet, she continued to be a caregiver for others as long as she could. When Mom experienced a series of TIAs (mini-strokes) and had to be hospitalized, it was Daisy who approached me and encouraged me to join an organization called National Family Caregivers Association. She had been a member of the group, and valued the information they provided, along with the encouragement for the caregivers. She continued to support me as a caregiver as her own health declined.
Sadly, it's been a few years since Daisy passed. I miss her every day I walk out the back door and look over into their yard. Her love of life shone every single day, regardless of the troubles she was facing.
In the summer now, I anxiously look forward to the days my daisies are blooming. They don't have the same zest for life or ability to care as Daisy did, but they are bright and sunny, and they remind me of a wonderful woman. Every time I see a daisy, I am reminded of that long time blessing who taught me so much about being a good neighbor without saying a word.
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