{AMISH COMMUNIT Y NEWS} Vol. 6 No 5
May 28, 2014
Favorite Garden Memory By Jacquie Foote My favorite garden story is not one I lived. It’s one I heard. I don’t know if it is a true story, but, knowing small children and stubborn men, I believe that, in some form, this truly happened. J For some reason, a dad decided what he would truly like to do was to see if he could raise a “perfect” lawn. So, during winter evenings while his children did their schoolwork and his wife consulted vegetable seed catalogs, he read about grass cultivation and looked for the best seed for it. As early as possible in spring, Dad spent an hour or two each day after work planning and preparing his grass garden. He observed the wind direction (no weed seeds on his grass, thank you very much) and tested the soil, adding the proper nutrients for the grass seed he had purchased. His children paused for a little in helping Mom plant the vegetable garden to watch him sow the grass seed and shelter it with straw. The youngest, 4-year-old Anna, watched the longest, but soon wandered off to the meadow. The grass came up and, one day so did some weeds. Dad hurried to town for Roundup, which he poured over the little dandelion leaves. They were gone in 2 days. But, within a week, new dandelion weeds began to appear. This time Dad dug down by each weed and removed all trace of roots. And within a week more little dandelions! This time, Dad not only removed the roots, he removed the part of the soil the roots had been in and replaced it with new soil that had been heat treated to kill off all unwanted seed. Then he carefully looked over his neighbor’s yards to check for dandelions. There didn’t seem to be any. However, a week later, looking out his workshop window, he noticed a few tiny dandelion leaves making a determined effort to push up through the soil (and surrounding grass). He just stood there wondering if he should simply plow the whole grass garden under and start again with all new soil. Then he heard a child’s voice singing. He looked toward the driveway and saw little Anna hurrying along carrying an armful of dandelion flowers in full seed. She arrived at the grass garden and, dividing the dandelions into two generous hands full, stepped into the garden. Swooping and twirling, she began dancing through the grass, shaking the dandelions so the feathered seeds floated free, coming to rest among the blades like a whisper of snow. Dad stepped out of his shop. Anna saw him and ran to him, laughing and saying,
“Daddy! You spoiled my surprise! You needed flowers in your garden and I remembered Mamma telling me that the pretty yellow flowers are Daddylions and I knew that God must have made those flowers for you because they are named for you. So I have been trying and trying to plant them for you. But they keep dying! “First I got some from the neighbors’ yards, but now I have to go out by the fences and driveways and pretty soon I’ll get in trouble for going too far! But that’s all right. Because the yellow flowers will be beautiful and will tell you how much God loves you and how He named the flower for you!”
Garden Memories Continued on Page 8
Bits and Pieces of Yesterday Submitted byKatherine Byler
(From an Old Budget)
April 7, 1983 A daughter, Laura, was born to Eli L. Millers on Reeves Road, making 17 great grandchildren for us. Melvin Hershberger’s on Shedd Road have opened up a bulk food store called “Country Side Pantry”. The following girls expect to spend several days in Lancaster, Pa. next week to visit friends; Lizzie E., Mary E., Emma M. Mary S. (all Millers) Elizabeth and Mary Detweiler and Amanda Hershberger. Forty-six young folks attended a mystery supper at Levi and Saloma Miller’s on Sunday night. Several tried bringing their own spoons – but were soon found out. Budget scribe, Mrs. John Miller and husband are on a four-day trip to Gettysburg, Pa. and Washington D.C., so this is being written by a substitute who has decided Budget writing isn’t for everybody. (*Can anyone tell me who wrote the above for Mrs. Miller? KMB)
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