The Dahlia's that have laid dormant since the spring have begun to bloom once more in my backyard. My landscaper is stunned that they survived the extreme heat of the Las Vegas summer. So am I.
And yet, there is a corner of my garden that has weathered the heat and drought. We had a week of no sprinklers and lost many plants but one corner of my yard still flourished. This plant, a gardenia, and some of my grandmother's dutch iris plants my aunt dug up for me from her yard in Idaho. I transplanted those irises the week Camille died. We were in Idaho at the farm the Sunday before the accident.
There is a great symbolic therapy in growing things. I have never been very good at gardening. I don't claim to be now. But somehow, this one corner of my garden refuses to be defeated against all odds. And I find joy in its blooms.
9 comments:
Hi Stephanie:
I have not been blessed with a greem thumb either. Perhaps these unexpected blossoms are symbolic of Camille's blosseming in Heaven combined with a sign that she is so blooming:)
I like the saying, "Bloom Where You Are Planted". I have a plant in my backyard that is planted in soil that is very rocky, and not very nourishing. Despite it's adversity this sweet plant continues to hold on, producing the most beautiful purple flowers. Sometimes all we can do is "hold on", and believe we, too, will have a season of blossoming.
Good night.
Hi Stephanie, one week without sprinklers? Try 2 years, that's what we are up to in Melbourne Australia. No watering of grass AT ALL. Hand watering of plants for an hour, two mornings a week between 7 and 8am. And that is it.
We divert washing machine water for the garden, empty the kids drink bottles on the plants, you name it. The kids are used to being told off if they leave the water running when cleaning their teeth...
The days of turning on the sprinklers and letting the kids run through them are sadly over here.
But you know what? My roses are SO glorious - they love the fact that I DON'T water them...
Oh for the sound of the sprinklers...
Love to you
Jane
I love this symbolism, both of Camille, of surviving amid adversity, and of the blooming and growing that YOU are doing through this most difficult trial. You are an amazing woman!
Wow, Camille's blossom is beautiful! I too have never been into gardening until Trinity died. I have sense put a beautiful garden together that is titled "Trinnie's Place". All the flowers are pink, purple, and yellow...her favorite colors. I planted many of the plants that people gave us for her funeral in our yard...and they still bloom and live on today. We also received trees that we have planted in our yard...and continue to grow. Trinity is no longer here for me to care for, nurture, and watch grow...but her garden, plants, and trees are here for me to nurture, love, care for, and watch grow. Obviously I would take Trinity back in a heartbeat, but I'm grateful for her garden.
Hi Stephanie,
I need some blogging advise. I would like to create a link like you did with Camille's photo that would take my readers back to my very first post (when our mission began) can you tell me how to do it? PS. your flowers are gorgeous!
Thanks I appreciate any help you can offer.
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie. Beautiful blossom from your garden... thank you for taking the time to post. You are so encouraging to me in a difficult time. I am not sure if you know this but you are truly a light for others.
Have a blessed weekend with you girls and husband,
Julie
Hi Stephanie:
Sorry that this post is off-topic. I can't seem to find your e-mail address and wanted to thank Jonathon for the info he send my way re: pre-mortal existance.
Jonathon: Following a bout of ill-health, I have finally finished reading all of your references and more that flowed from them! I found them very enlightening indeed - particularly those from The Book of Mormon. Through these readings, contemplations and prayer, I have a much better understanding but, as with most things, my new knowledge has spawned some new questions as well. I continue on my path to knowledge.
Around that same time, Stephanie spoke of changes to your Church wards. I am curious -- since she spoke of not seeing some of her usual group at Temple, do all wards attend at different times? It doesn't seem possible that there would be a new Temple built each time a new ward is formed, right? So I am assuming there are appointed times for each.
At some point, I would really like to know more about parents having the opportunity to raise their children who have died young. In my presently muddled mind, I am unable to reconsile the ages of our other children or ourselves once we have all passed to Glory. Other than the reference to children who die young, I couldn't find anything more about ages. Since there is neither growth or development in the grave .... well, you no doubt can sense my confusion. To put it bluntly, it seems certain that Camille will be 14 months old when you are reunited but what about the rest of your family?
I don't want to hijack this thread but if these issues could be discussed at some point, I would truly appreciate it.
With thanks,
kathryn_m
Kathryn,
My email is stephaniewaite@gmail.com. Can you email me? I would love to just talk to you. It would take far less time to explain the answers to your questions than type them all out. But we can also do that if you prefer. Hope you read this and email me.
love,
stephanie
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