Gone but not forgotten (or not)

I could not go outside today.

My two youngest have both vomiting and diarrhea. Yeah, didn’t want to take them out. Shame they were sick. It was 60F+ today. At least I got to put the top down on my convertible when I went to the grocery store after my husband got home.

But yesterday, I got a lot of time in my yard. Did some weeding and cleaning, and a little mourning. See this is a bitter-sweet time of year for gardeners. We are so excited about everything coming back, but little by little we realize that some of the babies and old friends we cared for last year are no longer among the living.

I still have a few more weeks to hope that they will return, but there are a few that I am certain are not coming back. The primroses and peach tree are definitely dead. I have always, always wanted primrose to grow and it has never lasted in my yard more than a season or two. I had gotten hope as the named variety primrose that I had in my shade bed had made it through the previous winter. But no sign of it after this winter.

The peach tree is gone as well. It was a gift from one of Jeff’s former co-workers who was from Italy. It held on for 4 years but Cleveland cold finally got the better of it.

Then there are a few blank spots in the beds that I know there should be something but I can’t remember exactly what I planted there. They are mostly babies, bought spur of the moment last year and not strong enough to make it through the cold.

So, let’s take a moment to mourn a few lost friends, even if we can’t always remember who exactly they were.