Settled in my old farm home in a rural community. Miss Robbye was one of my first friends. If she were living she would be over 100 years old. She was a widow, no children or family near by and loved flowers.
As I got to know her I would pick her up to go to grocery, to have her hair done, go to church and sometimes go to lunch. She was with me so much that many people thought she was related to me. She had a tender heart and shared many stories with me.
Almost everytime I would visit her there would be a flower I was not familar with in her yard. All country flowers with country names. She always shared that she never had as many flowers as she wanted and she would share any of them. I can remember when I spotted what seemed like 100 Spider Lilly's. That is what she told me they were. I had never seen them before.
I loved them, she shared some plants and I have had them at every home since that time. They reseed themselves. Come up late, almost June and look like a clover. A number of people I have shared seeds with would exclaim "they did not come up" and I would comment it is too early. I always save seeds and sow them, just in case.
The down side is that the stalks are covered with hundreds of tiny thorns. I am repeatedly cutting myself. I do not have gloves on and I think I will be careful.
No Way. So many people who view them in my yard and want seeds - later tell me they like them - but they come up by the hundreds and with the thorns are not to pleasant.
I always thin them and have just a few.
A number of flowers Miss Robbye shared with me I lost during my many moving times.
But I have flowers that I remember who gave them to me and they brings back memories.
Some of these people are no longer living. My beautiful yellow daylily came from one of my previous Sunday school teachers years ago. A number of other daylilys from my dear friend who passed away 8 years ago with a brain aneurysm.
So many of my flowers have memories and stories. These flowers are more meaningful and beautiful to me then any I buy.
A two day rain and the soil was soft enough for me to move some plants. I was successful in taking an image and posting. A new challenge for "One Woman"
Enough rambling this morning, especially since this is grandma day for my 3 year old granddaughter and I think it is about lunch time!!
14 comments:
fsgErnestine, I love your photo. You did so well capturing the interesting design of that flower. I haven't grown them, though I've admired them in other yards many times.
Your story of Miss Robbye was so sweet. Like you, I know who gave me which flower, and I talk about it when I show my garden to someone. :)
(Sorry about that "fsg" in front of your name. It was the word verification and somehow it ended up at the start of your name. Of course I didn't notice until I'd hit "publish.")
:)
Ernestine,
I love that flower but don't have it at my current home! Love that they reseed.
Yes construction is messy and noisy.. have done a bit at each house we've owned but know I will love it as you said.
Hope you had a good grandmother day!
Mim
The flower is beautiful. How nice that you remember who gave you certain starts and stories to go with them. Enjoy your grandchild. I know you will.
I am sure that you are the most admired gardener in Nashville. The flowers are lovely.
Is this also known as 'cleome?' Around here it is an annual, but it is spiky and the flowers look spidery.
I've been thinking about your comment on Aisling's blog. The book I'm reading, The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Brewer has a character who is older, has been told he's dying of consumption (1920s), and goes off to a new place and builds himself a home. He figures even if he hasn't got long to live, the building of it will be good for him. It is based on a real man in Fairhope, Alabama, and I do believe the man lived considerably longer than was expected. Maybe the moral is, even if one isn't sick, being older doesn't have to stop us from pursuing a course that may not be the norm. I think you'd love the book, and you just might be inspired to build (or have someone build) that little cabin!
The spider lily is lovely! I am not familiar with them. I have some prickly pear cactus that bloomed beautifully in June, and has prickly needles on it! Beautiful but painful if one picks them. Nice tribute to Miss Robbye
I love to exchange flower seeds as well, and it is nice to have flowers that come with pleasant memories of friends and neighbors.
Your Miss Sadie is a sweet looking friend! I have 2 dogs and 5 cats, and they are a lot of company. I would be lonely without them.
You said in your comment from the other day that you are not far from me. I don't know how close Nashville is to here.
I'm sure you enjoyed spending time with your granddaughter.
Thank you for visiting as well. I hope you visit again.
Renie
Yes, Nan is right - the flower is a cleome and around here it also goes as "cat's whiskers."
Ernestine,
What a lovely tribute to your friend. I love the photo of the flowers. I was brought up in the country and Grandma had hundreds of flowers that all had country names. She also grew gladiolas to sell at the farmer's market, so there were fields of glads each summer.
So nice to meet you. Please drop by my Writing Nook and enter your name in my Harvest Giveaway.
Blessings,
Mary
I love flowers. Maybe someday I'll have more time to cultivate and enjoy them.
Miss Robbye sounds like a very nice lady. It is quite honoring to her for you to created this post in memory of her.
I loved the verbal picture of Miss Robbye! In fact, it has inspired me to dedicate a little poem to her. Thankyou.
MISS ROBBYE.
A name that has an old-world chime
Miss Robbye.
It takes us back to a gentler time
Miss Robbye.
Once Christian names were used by few,
Only relations, one or two,
People who intimately knew
Miss Robbye.
Her first name must have signified
Her hobby.
Gardens and flowers were her pride,
Her hobby.
Maybe her parents called her Rose,
Poppy, Iris, one of those.
Her name was certain to disclose
Her hobby.
Your hundredth birthday comes and goes,
Miss Robbie.
And time and tide forever flows.
Miss Robbye.
Today your seeds are saved and sown
Your plants have multiplied and grown
And how I wish that I had known
Miss Robbye.
What a eye catching flower. I also loved the butterfly picture above that. Every year I have 1 monarch butterfly that goes to the same flower it might be a different one though.
Trees, flowers, shrubs are somewhat sentimental to me. We have special trees that mean alot to us for reasons. Then all the flowers that I divided because I am trying to be frugal with my money. I am still trying to find someone to maybe let me have a starter of black eyed susan or any other plants, herbs that they have an over-abundance of.
Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy that beautiful garden of yours!
Renee
Brenda, thank you for the meaninful poem. So kind of you.
Renee, I keep checking your post and was concerned since not hearing from you. Thank you for checking in.
Ernestine, I loved your story about Miss Robbye. Your Spider Lily is also called Cleome. A very pretty flower, but it does have thorns.~~Dee
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