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.


9 comments:

  1. This would be overwhelmingly sad for me. And what a huge challenge to move so many years of things! I hope you have a lot of help. Where are you moving? a retirement home? Is it close? and when is the move?

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  2. Ginny asked the same questions I have too.
    We moved into our "Forever" home 9 years ago... That stuns me to think it has been that long ago.
    Before that we lived in our home for 41 years,,,oh my....the packing and weeding and purging that goes on!
    Lots of deep roots in that house but it was the best move we ever made.
    We are happy, truly happy.
    We are near one of our sons and have made lots of new friends at our church.
    Praying for a smooth transition and that your special plants will like the move too.
    Please keep us in the loop.
    Sue

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  3. good to hear from you.. i hope you are moving somewhere you will love and be happy in... i can't say i understand so will not, because i love to move and always have. i never lived in one place more than 4 years until i married bob. the house he had i lived in 4 years and we moved here and here we are 27 years later and i am ready to move but can't get The Rock to move....

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  4. So hard to leave an old place. We've lived here 34 years, however it seems like only yesterday we moved in. Do take some of those plants and pass them along. So important.

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  5. I understand the declutter aspect as we are moving in July. However I have never lived more than 14 years in the same house. As a refugee baby moving has continued all my life.

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  6. Here is wishing you Every Blessing in your removal and new home. It must be hard to sort out so many years of memories.

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  7. Glad you're able to take some of those plants with you. Hope your move goes well and that you'll enjoy meeting new friends.

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  8. Hello Linda,
    Reading this post brought back some memories of when we left our own home of 30 years (nine years ago). Fortunately, for me, we just moved next door, and right across the yard :) I still get to see many of my former plants growing in the yard, that hold so many memories for me, just as yours do for you. (Some of those special plants came from Ed's mom.) It has been hard, at times, watching our daughter and her family make our old home theirs.

    I wish you and hubby only the best in your new home! You'll soon be making some new memories to go along with all of your old ones. It may take a while, but it will feel more and more like home, as time passes.

    Thank you for the sweet comment you left for me, earlier. You are right, the time has certainly passed quickly since we first became blogging friends. Our grandbabies are not babies any more!

    I hope, once you get settled, I can look forward to more of your delightful posts. Take care, my friend.
    Kathy (Reflections)

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  9. Saying goodbye to those roots we sent into the earth where we once live is the hardest part of all. I'm so glad you took those plantings with you. I hope the establish themselves and thrive.

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