Inspired!
By craftnutter
13 comments
I just had to write this blog, I’ve just come home and want to tell a story and ask other goy’ers something!
We’ve lived here for nearly 11 years and on every journey we make, we have to pass this house near the woods. Almost the entire garden is at the front of the house (from what we can see anyway, it appears to be woods at the back of the house) so you can see very well into it from the road.
It has always been full of veggies, even in the middle of winter. We’ve seen the man a few times, tending his plot. He appeared to be fairly old and stooped from what we could see. Anyway, we passed him this afternoon when I collected my daughter from her friends house, and I’ve just seen him in his garden, not having seen him for a while. He was leaning over one of those frames (zipper frames?) with a bag hanging from it, looking quite frail and old.
It reminded me of my Mum’s old Aunt, who rode her bicycle til she was 95 and grew all her own fruit and veggies. May-May lived in Hertfordshire and was a true “gal” from that area. Back in the mid-70’s, we went to visit her and I’d just bought my very first camera and took some piccies of her garden. Sadly, she died at the age of 99, but was only ill for 3 months before that. Up til then, my Mum proudly tells me, she continued to grow fruit and veggies til then.
I only hope that now I’ve started growing fruit and veggies, that long may I continue to do so and that it inspires me to keep going.
Does anyone else have any lovely stories of old relatives like this? If so, I’d love to hear them!
3 Jun, 2009
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Comments
I love the "zipper" frame - oh, if only they would zip one about. They're called zimmer frames, I don't know why. I haven't got one yet, but am not looking forward to the day when I might need one.
3 Jun, 2009
I love your blog craftnutter! My Mum was an artist and had a lovely garden ....she used to say she "painted pictures with flowers". A lot of her plants had originated in her grandmother's garden (my greatgrandmother) and I'm so pleased that some of those plants live on in my garden today....
3 Jun, 2009
Bamboo: Roflol!!! D'oh!!! Smacks head, yes, I meant Zimmer frame!! Teehee!! Thanks for that!!!
3 Jun, 2009
Wohlibuli, she sounds a fascinating character!
Crazydi: Having ancestors plants is really special! I have a cutting of my favourite Nana's African Violet and my mother has her mother's peony!
3 Jun, 2009
Yes, really special Craftnutter....the plants live on and serve as a great reminder of bygone days and the folk who gardened before us...:)
3 Jun, 2009
not family but there is a lady in the village,who 17 years ago, this august, told me off for doing 2 hrs of weeding. she had been lifting veg all morning. well I was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time. she is now 104yrs old and still tends to her garden. grandson does the heavy digging. i just hope i manage half of that time.
3 Jun, 2009
They are called "walkers" here. I think zimmer frames must be English.
Great blog CN.
My great great grandfather died at 96 years old. At least that's what he told everyone his age was.....turned out he was only 82!! However, he worked his allotment until the day he died. He came home from the allotment, had his tea, said he didn't feel well, went to bed and died in his sleep at about 1:00 am.
I know all this from the newspaper accounts of the inquest they held at his death in 1899. A couple of very amusing newspaper articles gave some insight into his and his children's lives.
Hope I can be the same way when I get to that age.
4 Jun, 2009
Sbg, wow! That is amazing! Wonderful! She was right to tell you off tho'! What were you thinking, lol!!! Must have been those "nesting" instincts!
Gilli, what a great story, thanks, I enjoyed that! Your g.g.g/f sounds a real character!
4 Jun, 2009
My mother has a zimmer frame, but she sure as heck isn't a lovely old gardener, lol. <wink> :o)
4 Jun, 2009
Rofpmsl Llew!!! Hehehe! I didn't mean to imply that Zimmer frames equals lovely gardeners, hehe!!
Actually, they're usually grumpy old "zippers", lol!!!
4 Jun, 2009
A wonderful blog and wonderful responses.
5 Jun, 2009
Well, my grumpy old zipper is still in hospital, so I'm getting a bit of peace. Tee hee!!!!!
5 Jun, 2009
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My fathers grandmother was the same, she lived to 98 and stayed in her own home with her little garden until the end. She used to tell the most amazing stories about walking across northern Africa to get a ship to the US.
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