My Grandmother’s Flower Garden

It’s been a pretty of emotionally draining couple of weeks lately.  Deciding to sell my grandparents house and move them into a personal care home, moving them, starting the process of dividing up their stuff, all of it reminding me that as much as I like to pretend, no one lives forever.

But there are also lots of things to be grateful for.  The fact that after being apart for the first extended period of time since they were married, my grandparents will be celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary together this Saturday.  Incredible discoveries, like a 1930s double wedding ring quilt top that my grandmother’s cousin pieced and I will inherit to quilt (!!!!!).  All of the wonderful stories that come up as we sort through stuff.  The chest of drawers and my Great Great Grandfather Stahl.  Great Great Grandfather Walker taking my Grandfather to Pickle Baltzer’s General Store in a horse and buggy.  A wool throw from my Grandmother’s Grandfather’s service in the Civil War.  My Great Uncle Ray’s secret puzzle box from Italy and the hope chest he built for my grandmother.

And remembering stories of my own, like nap times in my Grandmother’s spare bedroom with very little napping and lots of time studying her Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilt, my sister and I each trying to pick our favorite flowers.

Jill