Many decades ago I was a small child in east Tennessee. I fell in love with flowers and trees. I tried to assist my mother with little things in the flower beds until one day I asked for a spot of my own. My mother had received a pile of stones from the dairy that delivered our milk. (Yes, it was decades ago and they brought it to the door.) We visited the dairy, had a tour, and picked up a few stones. They were placed in a pile on the grass until they were placed lining the flowers beds. Since it took a while to move them, there was a spot with little grass. I asked for my own garden there. My mother agreed and I placed small stones around the small circle and pulled what grass remained. I love purple iris, Tennessee’s state flower. My mother gave me several with a few annuals. I was so proud of that little circle and flowers. I felt happy making it and looking at it. Gardening is much more than simply keeping the lawn pristine and planting pretty flowers. It is a whole set of actions that can really affect you. I had something that was alive!
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