Saturday, May 17, 2008

The Scent of Lilacs

It’s still coolish here, but the lilacs are in full bloom and it’s so pleasant to sit outside on the deck inhaling their scent. Lilacs always remind me of my mother because I know she loves them, and last Sunday I gave her a bunch for Mother’s Day.
Over the years the trees have grown up so much in our back yard that it’s too shady to grow much, and our grass is in terrible shape. But the spring flowers are always great: crocus, violets, hyacinths, tulips, snowdrops, daffodils—and this year, even a few irises.

I feel guilty that I don’t have the time or inclination to garden any more. For several years in the early 90s, I grew everything from tomatoes to hollyhocks, and I remember David throwing his arms around me one day and saying: “I love how you smell Mom. You smell like the earth.”

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the "early" days, people would plant lilac bushes to cover up the smell of their outhouses and garbage dumps. When I was an archaeologist, I always used to look for old lilacs because that's where all the good stuff was. A very practical plant indeed.

Mary A.

Debbie Olson said...

So lovely, Susan--and a compliment indeed from a son!