When we meet up with friends, they eventually ask about the Mama. They've come to expect a doozy of a response about the tiny, not-so-frail 90ish gardener. For example, one time I replied:
We were gone 90 minutes to do errands. Only 90 minutes. Do you know what she did while we were away? She whacked off the tops of the banana plants. With her machete.Ba-dum-bump. Tishhhhhh.
And then there was the time I got to tell our friends this story.
We were gone most of the day. We came home to find that the Mama had pruned the apple tree next to the small shed.Ba-dum-bump. Tishhhhhh.
"Did you use the ladder?" I asked.
"Only my small one," she said. "You'll have to prune the top. I couldn't reach the branches."
I looked at the tree. I couldn't figure how she got the middle branches without climbing the taller ladder.
"How did you get those middle branches?"
"Oh," said the Mama. "I stood on the roof of the shed."
Got news for you. If she wants it pruned, she'll do it. I'm not quite as old as she is, but my son tells me to wait for him before I do this or so. If he were here at this moment, he could do it, but wait for him? No way.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this I could see myself. I think that shed is exquisite. It must hold all the tools she needs to work in her garden. I whacked off all my elderberries too.... now I wish I hadn't.
I passed the eye test. Whoo Hoo
Love to you all
LOL, Manzi. I'm learning. I got to the lemon tree before her. The shed holds odds and ends. Her tool shed--a bit bigger--is on the other side. The husband and I are figuring if there's a way we can turn this shed into a greenhouse for her. What exquisite things she could grow then.
ReplyDeleteIs it as simple as replacing the roof and south siding with sheets of clear corrugated plastic?
ReplyDeletewiddershins, brilliant idea. I had no idea there was such a thing as corrugated plastic. I asked the Mama if she'd like us to convert her shed into a greenhouse with the stuff. Her reply, "I need to be able to stand on the roof to prune." How I love the Mama!
ReplyDelete