garden brought to life, and old friends

Every year my friend has an "Old Friends " party and for a few hours on one night we all catch up with one another, hear about future trips around the globe, business ventures, books read, and we may talk politics, as we are all on the same page. 

This year, however, it truly was sobering. 

Our main favorite has died, another is nearly bed ridden, some have vanished replaced by others whom I do not know...Surgeries, ill health, strokes and heart issues have compromised a few. WOW, having not seen these folks for about two years , maybe three, "the walls come tumbling down."

Certainly a bit of decrepitness is bound to occur as we inch  toward our exits ...words escaping ,( a "green house" becomes a "glass plant structure thing " ,substitution, which i find myself doing frequently)  slow moving-  off balance, more deaf, less vision, incessant chatter about what ails ya ...Just kill me NOW. It is difficult to measure ,

having  not seen one another in a couple of  years.  Startling   gathering of "OLD" friends for one evening.

Some roll over and play dead or actually BE dead. Some, the most health challenged of the lot, carry on- booking fights and boat trips from here and there- from  Bergen to British  islands , Wales and beyond to the far north. Taken in "stride", so to speak,  inability to walk well  or to  talk or hear- with dignity they venture out and about,  slower, adjusting to  the complexity of travel after having stroke, crippled knees, heart issues, breathing trouble and - hearing loss

  Kudos to them, I say!  "I will get by"...

Which really sorts me out about dismissing a trip across the Atlantic, solo - to stay in England for a bit- revisit favorite haunts and see friends living there.  It will just be a different  sort of challenge without eye sight behaving as it used to . Anyway, Shook me out of my "can't do" attitude. 

The garden is lovely.Bill has brought it into lush bloom  and structure. He is a nurturing soul!  When they first moved there about 30 years ago the  yard was dry dirt, rocks and twigs with  an abrupt dropping slope into the alleyway of more dry dirt. There was no life at all.  

Giant cup hostas, as big as a dinner plate. 

Above is a volunteer tree that towers above the two story house. Brought in by a Japanese squirrel, they reckon. It is a Japanese walnut tree that appeared one spring already well established before being noticed and has grown like it bought the property. It is beautiful. Smooth white bark, delicate branches   with five inch leaves growing in pairs sharing  the same node. Like a dogwood but more elegant.

Two other trees, fir and a maple  I think, were volunteers and luckily landed in a good position to add to the garden's geometric balance. 

Sobering yet encouraging evening spent. The only annoyance was being in the company of people shouting at high volume , hollering  "what?' too frequently. Another good reason for ASL to be taught in schools. How much more pleasant humans could be when  shouting is subdued. Maybe Americans have this special problem due to being a very loud shouty population anyway (?)  My hearing is acute, so it is painful and bothersome to me. Generally I excuse myself and go outside, which I did do. 

Ok,  on to the next thing- going out to the lake to see grandchildren and son and DIL , eat a weenee, a chip and watch them turn blue  in the chilly lake. 

This morning the air is AUTUMN.