Thursday, March 21, 2013

Dear Daughters: Teary-Eyed

Raised Tomato Beds

Dear Daughters,

I have been crying at the drop of a hat lately.

Point in fact-

This afternoon as I walked through my newly named Esperanza (hope) garden and rounded the Anacahuita tree I planted last summer (Wild Olive tree),

I saw these-

and I was UNDONE.

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Baby tomatoes-

hatched in my new raised beds.

I should have given them more credit-

I should have given myself more credit
.

I planted them and fertilized them and watered them- not in their faces because who likes that- but slowly and consistently at ground level making sure I didn’t disturb their growing.

And so I stood there and cried.

And I said thank you God for this gift and finally maybe I have something that I want to write. 

All that because I was teary-eyed and God thought enough already.

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I stood at my beds and I cried and laughed thinking about the concrete owl my daughter brought

me from the flea market
and about this discussion with my father earlier this week, as he stood at

the foot of my tomato beds.


I was very quiet waiting to hear what he had to say.


My father:        ”Sister? These sure are pretty.”

Me:                   “Thank you Daddy.”

My father:         Clearing his throat, “I think your tomato cages are upside down.”


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And so dear daughters, I thought I’d have a little fun and tease him and make Nonnie (my mother)

smile up in heaven, and I said- as she probably said many times to him,

”I don’t believe they are.”

15 comments:

Amber Dillon-Bramlett said...

I thought I'd tear up reading your post. So heartfelt!!
We are having an unseasonably cold spring here in Arkansas, so I had to bring my freshly planted pansy flower crates back inside...I wanted to cry too!!

Jennifer said...

You are wonderful.

Reagan brought home her first preprimer reader- a real book! She was SO excited. Those were my tears today.

Jocelyn said...

First of all, your tomato cages are not upside down. And secondly...... I love that your Dad calls you Sister (Sis). Very sweet. My tomatoes are putting on the little flowers. And I actually saw a little bitty sliver of the onion leaf breaking ground!! Glory :-)

joanne said...

Oh that is so very sweet! And look at you with tomatoes...gah, I can't wait to plant but Spring is far from sprung here. Good to see a post from you as I was thinking about you today as I wrote my post...wondering how it's going. take care, and it's good to cry!

Pondside said...

That was a lovely little piece of writing.
Good-looking tomatoes too!

Pura Vida said...

You so had me going there for a minute that mine have been upside down all my life...what a precious conversation with your parents that spanned the heavens and earth

Elizabethd said...

How touching!
Your tomatoes look so flourishing.

Theresa said...

Oh your Dad made me giggle:) Sweet little tomatoes! Mine aren't even in the ground yet! I am jealous in a sweet and kind way:) Have a blessed day my friend, HUGS!

Linda said...

This is so sweet, though I must confess, I'm teary eyed because you have things growing and here it's freezing cold winter still. Anxiously awaiting spring weather... maybe a month from now.

Kind regards,
Linda

trash talk said...

L.B.,
Those tomatoes aren't the only thing getting slowly and consistently watered. Only difference is you got some water on your face, but God has done a wonderful job with you and law...just watch you grow.
XO
Deb
P.S. Just like those baby tomatoes, your relationship with your daddy is a precious thing to behold too!

Connie said...

I've been patiently waiting to read another of your posts, and it was so worth it! On this cold, rainy day you made me laugh & you made me cry with this one!! Lovely story...

Bliss said...

I have a friend who thought the pokey things went up. Now I'm not sure what goes where.

Bliss

Stacey said...

Laura, this is so sweet. I can picture it well. :)

Loui♥ said...

Laura..
love the post..
My tears..
joy at rediscoveing the historical areas of my home town..
tears.. because many are in such sad states of didrepair..
tears..because many have been restored to their former glory..
tears.. discovering my world wasn't as vast as i remembered..now is defined by a number of blocks instead of miles and miles..
tears because I can see the beauty around me!
love and hugs.. Loui♥

Jane said...

This is so sweet.

 

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