Sunday, June 12, 2016

Saying goodbye: Blooming memories

Saying goodbye to our former home of 46 years is an ongoing process as we gradually deal with nearly half a century of accumulation.

We had just pulled into the driveway of our old home on the first morning back from a four-day trip to visit family. We faced another session of sorting possessions into “keep,” “share” and “toss” categories.

One of Hubby’s bloomin’ favorites
A sense of goodbye to a season of life slammed into me. There I sat, absorbing facets of springtime at our former address. Hubby’s hibiscus bush that had survived the winter sported two vibrant red blooms.

Confederate jasmine
In the background, the confederate jasmine vine that I had given him several years ago had erupted into bloom, covered with more of the small fragrant flowers than ever before. 

Blueberry survivor
A foray into the backyard included a visit to a blueberry bush. It originated from one of several skinny sprouts my mother and I had dug up in 2009 from around one of the Tifblue blueberry bushes in her backyard. That was shortly before she moved to a studio apartment in a new assisted living home.

Her original plants were pass-alongs from Levi, her oldest brother and one of my favorite uncles. Now he, Mother and all their siblings are gone. 

The sole sprout that survived in our backyard is now a respectable size. It had lots of blooms on it this year. It also has plump berries ripening now. 

A number of “babies” are sprouting up around it. I hope some of its offspring will survive their move to our new property.

Three plants, three goodbyes. But the memories go with me to our new address.