It was a bitter, cold wintery night and the wind howled, audibly inside our home. Though mostly cozy, actually we felt gusts of wind somehow permeate the windows and walls.

       One wintry afternoon, I stopped to visit my friend, Alice, who was recovering from back surgery.
She had been in much pain and I brought her a lovely, little plant, with orange blossoms, as a get-well gift.

      The spring came late this year. As soon as the ground could be turned (which did not happen until May 1st) , we began planting the garden. Because of the lateness of the season, we planted the whole garden in one week.

      On the top of the Welsh dresser in the dining room stands the old ceramic bluebird.

      Over forty years ago, about 1976, I gave my mother a small bird-of-paradise plant as a gift, because she admired the beautiful bird-of-paradise flowers. The plant was very small, in a plant pot, perhaps 3 inches in diameter.