So about a week or so ago I decided to plant some flowers. They bring me a little piece of home, which is important considering I haven't been back in three years. My grandparents had tons of flowers for as long as I can remember, and they seemed to take great pride in what they grew. My grandfather would walk around the house showing me what was new, which flowers the 'birds planted', ones he was most proud of, which ones he snipped and began growing in jars, etc. He would share the names and tell me how to take care of each. Everything he planted seemed to flourish.

As I got older, he gave me flowers to plant at my own house. Every evening I got my hands in the dirt, or spent time outside watering or pruning the plants, was therapeutic. It was a gift I’ll cherish forever; a gift I hope my boys eventually carry on with their children. I love being outdoors and appreciate nature to its fullest. I recruited my oldest son Zack to help select and plant our garden. He worked pretty hard, and we got everything planted in record time, despite encountering terrible soil and a ton of rocks. It was great having his assistance, not just because it was less work for me, but because we were spending time together working toward a common goal. I thoroughly enjoyed his company. And since then, I love seeing him out watering the flowers taking pride in his handiwork.

I should also mention that we had the little guy ‘helping’ us dig. He’s always eager to be a big helper, and constantly emulates his big 'bros'. I must say though, he’s a bit better at watering the flowers, than he is digging.

I decided the best pop of color I could give our house would be vivid purples, since our house is a pale yellow. Rather than be boring and only stay with purple hues, I added a few spots of pink too, but I tried to keep the pink flowers bold; mostly fuchsia. Together we planted Salvia, Phlox, Mexican Heather, Fox Gloves, Butterfly Bushes, Blue Bells, Asters, and a few others. We already had a gorgeous pink Hyacinth blooming by the front porch.

I love each of them. Some were chosen strictly for their color, while others reminded me of my grandparents, and several were purchased for their sweet fragrance. My grandfather had butterfly bushes, which I think our whole family loved. Although I’m sure we won’t be here long enough to see these ones grow as tall as the one we had at our last home, I’m hoping they attract some butterflies. My neighbor’s favorite color is purple, and she loves butterflies so much, that she actually harvested about 30 this spring. It would be ideal if someone else can share in the joy, taking simple pleasure from our garden.

The flowers are still rather small at the moment, but hopefully by the end of summer they will start filling out a bit.