Miracles

things that grow wild

Each green blade of grass, each small flower growing haphazardly in my yard is a miracle. I say haphazardly because those flowers and blades of grass weren’t planted by my hands. To grow in my yard, you have to have a strong constitution. You’ve either been sown accidentally or you’ve been around much longer than I have.

     I appreciate the blessings of my yard. The Easter lilies are gone from the bank by the road long before their namesake holiday. The dozen tulips, red and yellow, that grow out by the cedar tree and come back year after year, tell me it’s Spring. I am always excited to see the lilac bush with the sweet smelling violet clusters of blossoms.

     I even appreciate the weeds. They have value, too. The wild onion gives off a pungent smell when we mow the yard. I look forward to that odor. There are Queen Anne’s lace and black eyed Susans, though to be fair, they are too comely to be called weeds. And honeysuckle, the kids discovered that one last year. They swarmed the vines like bees looking for honey as they picked the blooms to find that drop of sweet syrup. The dandelions and white bushy headed clovers that Anna brings into the house by the handsful help to decorate the window sills all summer long. The rabbits tend to like to eat those, too. Or braided they make lovely necklaces and bracelets and diadems.

     The white blooms of the blackberry bushes in June tell me it’s almost time to pick the plump, juicy berries. Again, I didn’t plant the bushes, they’ve grown wild. Conveniently, they’ve grown around the fence row, so that I don’t even have to get out into the tall weeds. I can wrestle the briars without the added seeming dangers of ticks and snakes. I brave the brambles and in return I get blackberry cobblers and blackberry dumplings and professions of love from old men who like me anyway, and sometimes, if I’m especially brave--blackberry jam.

     This year we had a mystery plant take over the front yard close up by the porch. The big leafy vine climbed up over the shrubs and I hoped it might be a gourd, but it turned out to be pumpkin instead. The boy can't hardly leave the pumpkins alone, every few days he brings another mostly green pumpkin into the house so that the bugs don't get it.

     Yup, you have to be hardy to grow at my house. No hot house plants or helpless children for me. Vegetables and children mostly tend to themselves. I find myself thankful on a regular basis for the small miracles that happen without my help. Blackberries and pumpkins and an occasional dinner that gets cooked without any assistance from me are the loveliest blessings..

Reviews

[Southern Cross]

You have painted a canvas with this one. Suddenly I was transformed into spring and traveling out in the country smelling the fresh sweet air. "To grow in my yard, you have to have a strong constitution." I love this line.We have to applaud that which needs no tending. Can stand strong alone and burst with merit....In this you even pay homage to weeds for they have their own allure. What a wonderful palate here.

[FJ Davis]

Endearingly, you enchant readers, Emily.
Your observing, participating mind has beautified that yard as much as any lovely and fragrant flower.
A deeply gratifying piece of work, good poetess!

[icaros13]

You said handsful, not handfuls. I like this story even better... It is good and healthy to see and appreciate the beauty in front of us. They are miracles on their own, but add children, you get magic.

[...]

. oh ... miracles ... and miraculous words about miracles ... i'm looking at a beautiful water colour painting in pastel shades ... and thanking my stars for your presence and your words ... happy i am to read these joyous words ... thank you for reminding me of possibilities ... anything's possible ... and all of it doesn't have to be deliberate ... thank you for reminding me about the beauty of spontaneity ... thank you also for reminding me about that feeling of gratitude ... one day, when i internalize all that you've said in this post, i'll be a complete human being ... one who is one with the universe ...

[Jibey]

Charming and full of delight... We planted soem sweet peas around the base of magnolia tree in the Spring... hey turned out to be garden peas instead... but what pleasure we had with the fresh produce...! Home-grown or collected from the wild is the best.

[Christina May Shanaberg]

I used to ask my daughter whether she wanted to go eat our yard. Berries, a small garden, sweet grass, clover, cattail soup, and so much more. I live in the city, now, and miss those days. Once a tall white lettuce grew and grew and grew, it was enormous and makes a nice salad; if you don't have one or two, already, I hope you get a few. One you can't eat and it smells really bad, is Jimson Weed; however it is beautiful. I love those little touch me nots, they keep the kids busy for hours. I loved your story, because for much of my life it was mine, too.

[asdarkeyesclose]

I can definitely empathise with this story, although I am not as understanding with the weeds as you are! Loved all the details here, this was amusing and enjoyable to read. Lovely!!!

[Ladysue]

Emily, this was extraordinary and such a delight to read with it's colors, charm and grace...such warmth and beauty exudes from this piece and the meaning off the charts...loved loved you last paragraph...

[Gandré]

ah Emily.. "I even appreciate the weeds, they have their value, too" I love you. such a world lover you are. I love to read your small stories. haha "Ifind myself thankful on a regular asis for the small miracles that happen without my help." such gems. (and thank you for words and reading my prose poem..)

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

No doubt about it, the things that mean the most are the ones we never ask or and sometimes unanswered prayers lead to those things that we need. Awesome job me dear.