His leg kills him to stand on,
but he gathered rock
off the mountain
until he had enough
for the volcanic rock planter.
Dirt was brought in
for the wood chips to top.
He loaded up slate rock
in Salt Gulch,
then wondered why
his leg was swollen
the next day.
He's planted his garden
of onion, potatoes, and
asparagras.
Pods grew on his
potato vines that could
only be seed.
Neither of us has seen
potato seed before!
He still has spasms from
his neck surgery
and his arms feel numb,
but he dug up each plot
for Black-eyed Susans,
Osteopermam Hybrid,
Gazanias, Russian Sage,
Dianthus, and Roses
creating beauty.
Now awaiting eye surgery,
a gas bubble to heal a tear
he plots what he'll
do next summer...
like go to King's Pasture
and put in the pole fence.
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I don't know if I dare express my sympathy for your husband in his hearing, as he would only growl. But sounds like he is getting worn down. I had to smile at this entry even as I felt a pang of sadness as old age and wear and tear takes its toll on all of us.
ReplyDeleteMy word, that Tom is even tougher than I thought. That old Southern Utah work ethic never leaves the men. Reminds me of Lefair cutting a whole bunch of posts with an axe at age 83. I thought that was a pretty big fete. He had them piled against a cedar tree in a neat cirle. Some time soon someone will need a bunch of cedar posts.
ReplyDeleteYou must take pictures of Tom's flowers to post. The flower garden must be about in it's glory by now. Margiie talked about Tom's big onions. Brought back memories to me. Our Boulder garden improved a great deal when LeFair took over. My crooked rows about drove him crazy, but I wasn't about to take one ounce of criticism when I was in charge of that big old patch with about twice as many vegetables as we could ever use. They were nice to have to give though and I felt sort of bad when the racoons moved in , convincing LeFair he was through with gardening forever.
I'll bet Tom liked your poem a lot. Could he bring himself to say?
Wow, look at those flowers. simply lovely. I am down right jealous. My yard looks like------well a desert. The heat has killed all color. Tomorrow my giant pine tree comes down. I have agonized over it. You just don't kill a live tree. However it has become a forty foot pest. Greedy thing takes all the nutrients and water from grass and flowers, then keeps us raking pine needles every other day. Causes anxiety that it might decide to give up the ghost and fall on the neighbor's house. even though it is greedy it's roots are still very shallow for such a huge tree. Ah well that's life in the desert. NEVER gets as cold as Panquitch. But then no place does. Unless it's the Arctic Circle, Right?
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