I am a story teller at heart. Big or small. Funny or poignant. I love to convey my personal experiences. I have been letting my time at the Northwest Flower and Garden show percolate and one experience stands out.
Table for 1: Eating lunch alone in a sea of people. It was lunchtime and the crowds were as hungry as I was. I had met a few magnificent people who work in garden writing (yea!) but the number of people I know in Seattle can be counted on two hands. Lunch alone was a foregone conclusion.
I bought a beautiful bowl of chicken ramen soup and searched for an empty seat. The table area was completely full of people and packages. I noticed 3 adults at a table for four and asked if I could join them. They graciously rearranged their food and packages to make room for me.
At my table was an adult woman and her husband who had come with her father on their annual trip to the garden show. I gave my animated summary of moving to Seattle for my husband's job, the fact that I still had to sell my house in Michigan and that I loved roses (and herbs and flower arranging and color) more than anything and that I couldn't wait to have my own garden in this new climate which has a far longer growing season than southeastern Michigan. And then I ate my soup.
They noticed my show badge and I told them a little about that morning's Tweet Up (a pre-show gathering of writers to load social media with #NWFGS content).
I learned that all three of them were specialists in various aspects of botany, garden landscape and horticulture. It was then that the mostly silent father slid a piece of paper over to me. He had written his contact information in detail onto a piece of paper and said that I was welcome to come see his garden this summer. He would tell me about all about everything on his land and show off his garden, one that had been photographed for magazines featuring the Pacific Northwest.
I couldn't believe it. It was so very kind and completely unexpected. Then I remembered the rambling I had done about roses and flowers and more and realized that he probably felt the very same way. Kindred spirits come in all shapes and sizes and he could tell we were cut form the same cloth, just 40 years apart.
It is mid March now, but you can be sure that I will drive over to Tacoma this summer to get a very special garden tour.
I haven't blogged in a few days because I have been thinking about how to explain something that happened to me last week. There are some scenarios you think will never happen.
Last Sunday afternoon, I found myself driving alone on I-75 North when severe weather hit. The dark sky and hail were ominous enough, but when the national weather service commandeered my phone and started barking: “Tornado Warning in your area. Take cover!” over and over I got scared.
I drove a mile in limited visibility before I made it to an exit. There were 2 churches at the intersection, but their parking lots were deserted. I saw a house with a light on in the family room and I pulled into the driveway. I moved carefully across the driveway through hail and rain and started ringing the doorbell when I reached the porch. No answer. I tried the door, opened it and walked into this stranger’s house calling out, “I’m taking cover! Yoo hoo, I’m taking cover!”
When a man came around the corner, I said, “I was on I-75 when my phone went berserk about a tornado and taking cover!” He responded, “Mine too! Come on, we’re all in the basement.”
I spent the next 2 hours (while several storm cells passed overhead) taking cover with a darling family. A pastor, his wife and their 3 children (a baby, 2 yrs and 11 yrs) gave me snacks, told me stories and watched the radar with me. As we distracted each other, we found that the mother and I have a lot in common - would you believe she quilts?
I still can’t believe the circumstances that led me to their door and gave me the courage to walk inside. I’ve been texting with her and she said that she’s glad the wind blew me their way. I am forever indebted to this family in Kawkawlin, Michigan and I've promised to come back and visit this summer (on purpose!) on one of my trips to the cottage.
We joked that we'll start sending Christmas cards to each other this year and that 15 years from now, someone would pick up my card on their mantel and say, "Wait...who is this?"
Threatening weather brought me to their door and neither of us knew that I would made new friends and find a kindred spirit.
Can you believe your eyes? It's Santa and his reindeer flying in from the right! A blur of delight!
I made a new friend at Dana & Lance's party - Lance's Aunt Pam is a kindred spirit! We were invited to her home to see her Christmas decorations and when I rounded the corner and saw this display I was speechless. She has built a Christmas Village display in her living room that is worthy of a museum. The photo above captures about one fifth of the display! It runs the entire length of the room and is a multilevel masterpiece.
Gondolas slowly advance across a wire in mid-air taking passengers up to the ski resort. Small children make snow angels (moving their arms and legs!) while their older brothers play hockey nearby. I could have looked at this display forever - each tree, shopper and building were so thoughtfully placed that this village looks as "real" as Frosty when he wears his magic hat.
Pam has been collecting buildings (many are made by Department 56) for twenty years now and she says she is still not done! This artist extraordinaire has the magic touch and I am so grateful that she was willing to let me share her vision of Christmas with you! This is delight.
