As years passed, Aunt Hilda became a little like her flower beds. When she moved home to help take care of my grandmother, I was a toddler. She lived in a Airstream travel trailer that was parked between my mother's house and my grandmother's house. I stayed at her RV as much as possible and stayed in her way when she was gardening. In the beginning, her flower gardens were immaculate, methodical and manicured. She was so persnickety about her "precious" plants that everyone called her Aunt Cranky.
Aunt Hilda was in her late-sixties when she became a part of my children's lives. By then, she was all over the place - chaotic, scattered and messy - much like her neglected flower beds. My kids, especially my oldest daughter, loved their Aunt Hilda. With her mixed bag of mannerisms, she was like a rogue cottage garden. Somewhere in the midst of all that depreciated and disarranged beauty were cherished foot paths worth finding and nuturing.
TODAY'S BIG STORY: It's planting day at Grandma's house. Aunt Hilda has the trunk of her Plymouth filled with potting soil, garden gloves and the best seedlings that the county co-op has to offer. She is a one-of-a-kind character as hybrid as a pollinated day-lily that can not be duplicated. Today, I want my small children to learn a lesson of acceptance and respect. What others view as odd, peculiar and strange, I hope my children will see as unique, original and rare.
AUNT CRANKY'S FLOWER BEDS
There she stands
admiring her precious flower beds -
my Aunt Cranky.
Every morning at seven
and every afternoon at three,she goes on duty to make sure
the neighborhood kids don't touch
one flower in her big yard.
Most days, my friends make fun of her.
She always wears a silly-looking hatthat supposedly came from a world-famous gardener.
She stands at attention in her floppy straw hat,
her dirty polka-dotted gloves,
and her oversize army green rubber boots.
She looks like an animated scarecrow!
she peeks out from beneath the shadow of her wide brim
and spies on us.
As soon as the first candy wrapper drops,
Aunt Cranky charges into battle
with her broken-handle wheelbarrow.
I try to disappear.
Aunt Cranky isn't really my aunt.
She is my mom's aunt,
and she is really old.
She doesn't like company,
cold weather or school kids.
She doesn't like stray dogs or weeds.
And she absolutely hates candy wrappers
and anything sticky!
She lives by herself
in a big white house with a pretty porchthat goes all the way across the front.
Actually...the porch would be pretty
if Aunt Cranky would take down the droopy clothesline
that hangs between two of the big white columns.
Pinned to that ugly clothesline
are six pairs of gardening gloves -one for each day of the week, except Sunday.
Some folks in town say that Aunt Cranky
sleeps in a pair of gardening gloves.
Half past seven.
Here she comes,picking up all the morning trash
and fussing over her flowers.
A couple of boys dare each other
to run through her rock bed.She looks at me, and my face turns red.
I wave and walk on by.
Some days I feel sorry for Aunt Cranky,
especially today.She looks tired and sad.
When I get home this afternoon,
I will tell Mom to check on her.
Half past three.
My friends and I walk past Aunt Cranky's house.She is not standing at her favorite spot.
I run ahead of the others to tell Mom.
Half past seven.
I am riding to school with Mom this morning.She is taking Aunt Cranky to the doctor.
Mom says she is very sick
and may have to stay in a hospital.
Half past three.
Aunt Cranky's flower beds are a mess.
They are covered with weeds and wrappers.
She has been in the hospital for two weeks.
Half past seven.
Today is Friday!I have been working in Aunt Cranky's flower beds
after school every day this week.
My face is blistered from the hot sun!
My fingers are scratched from thorns!
And my feet have a hundred ant bites!
Tomorrow morning, Mom and I are going to town.
She is buying me a pair of garden gloves,a big straw hat to hide my face,
and a pair of rubber boots to pull over shoes!
Half past three.
Another two weeks have passed.Aunt Cranky is coming home this week!
I am ready for her to come home.
This morning, my friends threw their candy wrappers
in my favorite tulip bed.The last time I picked up their trash,
I stepped on two tulips!
Now, I use Aunt Cranky's garden claw,
so I don't have to step in the beds.
Half past seven.
Today I am not walking with my friends.Yesterday they made fun of me.
One of the boys knocked over the broken-handle wheelbarrow
and spilled all the compost.Another one tossed my hat into the bird bath.
They all laughed and kept walking.
Half past three.
Aunt Cranky is coming home tomorrow!Dad is meeting me this afternoon
to get everything ready.
He is fixing the broken-handle wheelbarrow.
He is also mounting a new clothes rack
with six rods and twelve clips
for Aunt Cranky's six pair of garden gloves.
and washed the cushion covers.
We bought a pretty pot of red geraniums
for her wicker tea table.
Half past seven.
I am walking by Aunt Cranky's house,
and it is so beautiful.
It looks like a picture
in one of my storybooks.
Her flower beds are so clean,
except for one paper cup in the petunias.
I quickly pick it up.
Half past three.
There she stands!
My very own Aunt Cranky -
admiring her precious flower beds.
All I can say is
"It's about time!"
Dianne ; )
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