What do you notice when you look at this picture? You probably see a shy little boy who's not sure he wants to meet his uncles. April 1952 - Mom, Tom, Uncle Dick & Uncle David outside Grandpa and Grandma's at the back door of the house on First Street
See that row of tulips? There's a story there.
Grandma and Grandpa cared for the yard but it was not actively landscaped or gardened. Grandma took pride in a beautiful Peace rose that bloomed on the west side of the house near the front porch. I remember several outings to a nursery on Route 40 between London and Springfield. The trips were probably in conjunction with visits to see Grandma's mother who was in a nursing home somewhere along that route.
Anyway, back to the story about the tulips - Mom loved to tell this story. Grandma decided to plant a flowerbed in the little strip of dirt by the back door. This was a big deal garden in her mind. In the fall she planted tulips and eagerly watched them emerge and blossom the next spring. One day we were at Grandpa and Grandma's. The adults were talking inside and looked with amazement when I came into the house and presented Grandma a bouquet of ALL her tulips! Her garden was gone!
I don't remember the incident except through Mom's delight in retelling it over the years. I don't recall that Grandma got upset with me. I don't think I ever saw Grandma get angry or even a bit peeved. Grandma valued the child over the tulips. Thank you Grandma.
Julia about 4 years old in 1950
July 1955 - Grandma & Grandpa with our cousins
Julia 1948 tulips 2014
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I thought about Grandma and the tulips when I read this story.
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