When I Grow Up: No. 23 of 40 Forts
When I Grow Up: No. 23 of 40 Forts
In mid-March, we began talking about our future. It didn’t take long for us to realize that we really don’t know what the future may bring. And focusing on that was not productive. As I have been prone to day dream about homes where I can host my family, this time I focused a little farther ahead. Me at 80. And I had a pretty clear idea of who I wanted to be.
She already knew who she wanted to become.
And with this peace I wrote:
She already knew who she wanted to become.
I found this picture of this woman laughing in her incredible garden. She was tucked within an article about peonies in Martha Stewart Living. Peonies are my very favorite flower. We set our wedding date based on when the peonies would be in bloom. And Shelby brought me buckets full of stunning flowers for centerpieces that morning.
side view of When I Grow Up
So when I fast forward fifty years, give or take, I find myself in an old home on a street somewhere like the West End in Winston-Salem. Ideally close to my extended family. I have a grassy lot with lots of stunning flowers. Plus a room with a wall full of books. Little girls from the neighborhood come over to visit one at a time. The carefully browse the curiosities on my wall as I prepare a snack or a craft activity. I walk to the library and the local market. I am active in church and enjoy having my family over for holidays. I am happy and content and love my wonderful life.
Somehow just knowing where I plan to end up was enough to comfort me despite not knowing what will fill those fifty years in between. Creating this fort made me so incredibly happy. I was happy for days.
a paper sprout appears
Peonies are in bloom right now! In fact, I overheard someone saying today that last spring she lost her peonies because she didn’t cover them up before a freeze. We are having a freeze tonight. I told Henry that for Mother’s Day I wanted to visit the US National Arboretum. I hope that they will be sure to cover the buds so that we don’t lose them to the cold snap.
But I would really love to go to Peony’s Envy in Bernardsville, NJ. I met Kathleen Gagan at the Green Festival a couple of years ago. Her flowers are stunning, as well as the packaging. A bookmark serves as a reminder of where I will be ordering my collection of species I plan to acquire over the years.
As a subscriber to the Peony’s Envy newsletter, I was able to catch her on Martha Stewart. Watch Kathleen’s tips on how to store peony buds in your refrigerator for up to six months. Who knew! That made me even happier!
Read about all of the Forty Forts.
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