Daytripping Spring 2023

The favourite season of this battered
old world must surely be spring. It’s no
wonder that Mother’s Day is celebrated
with great joy in May. A bounty of
blossoms are blooming in gardens and
countryside - just waiting for children’s
eager hands to pick and present to their
smiling Mom.
My tiny front yard is shaded by a
huge maple tree and what earth there
is used up by its roots. However, the
window boxes in May are choc-a-bloc
with a haze of blue forget-me-nots and
colourful primroses and pansies. Each
Mother’s Day I noticed that children
would drag their feet and stop to look at
my bright display. A wistful look would
appear on their faces and their eyes
would mirror their thoughts. “If only
Mrs. Pierson would let me pick some
for my Mom!”
Well, I had a better idea than that!
“Why don’t you come with me to
my back garden where the flowers grow
better in lots of sunshine? There are lots
of colours for you to choose from. You
pick out the ones you want!”
“Let’s look in the shed and we might
find a pretty little container to hold
You can start wherever you like of course, and make your own trip!
Life’s Aspirations Come Disguised As Children
by Joan Pierson, London • from Daytripping May-June 2002
the water that flowers like to drink.”
The word soon spread amongst the
children that if they knocked on Mrs.
Pierson’s back door they could play and
pick flowers in her larger garden.
Just imagine, they could pick
bouquets for Mom from May till
summer’s end!
A constant parade of smiling
children clutching their
precious treasures wended
their way along Bellevue
Avenue all summer long. The
girls generally outnumbered the
bashful boys. But one brave boy
asked, “Is it alright if I take some
home for my Dad? He likes flowers too!”
I helped Douglas arrange bright
orange and yellow marigolds and snowy
white daisies in a small, tin watering
can. Douglas just beamed. “My dad
makes great hot dogs, Mrs. Pierson.
I’m sure he’ll give you one when he
sees these flowers.” Douglas was right!
I sure enjoyed the delicious hot dog that
Doug’s dad gave me, and the tin watering
can filled with marigolds and daisies
looked just right on the picnic
table. Next door to Douglas
lived a very serious
but thoughtful boy
named Adam.
Answering a
timid knock on
my back door, I
saw it was Adam.
He looked so sad
and solemn and
his luminous
gray eyes clouded over.
In a low, solemn voice he said, “Mrs.
Gray, our next door lady just died. I’m
going to the funeral home tonight with
my mom and dad. Could you give
me some flowers for Mrs. Gray?”
“Oh, Adam,” I replied “the
flowers that people take to the
funeral home are different from my
ordinary garden flowers They usually
buy them at a florists and they put
them together in a different way
than we do. My flowers just aren’t
nice enough.”
His gray eyes regarded me
thoughtfully “Mrs. Pierson, when
you gave me flowers for my Mom, we
sometimes used to divide them up and
I always gave some to Mrs. Gray. She
was a nice lady and she always gave me
a big hug when I gave her the flowers.
She loved your flowers. So when we
put your garden flowers there with the
rest of them - I know that Mrs. Gray will
know.”
Adam and I chose the flowers
that Mrs. Gray liked best. We carefully
placed clear wrapping around them and
tied the small bouquet with pink ribbon.
The next day Adam and I watched
in sorrow as Mrs. Gray’s coffin was
carried out from the funeral home on
its way to the cemetery. Adam’s eyes
met mine as we both saw the bouquet
of pink petunias circled by pure white
babies breath which had been placed
on top of the coffin.
We were both certain that Mrs. Gray
knew.
You can’t buy
F
Happiness
rom
Our Readers
Hi there!
I love your paper. The Last
Laugh story in the summer
edition made me laugh.
Actually love most stories and
the bottom borders are super.
I look forward to this every
season. I have got at least
half dozen other people
hooked on it.
~ Linda Lajoie
SW Ontario
but
you can
BUY
LOCAL!
T OUR
Find all the best
Antique Shops on page 72.
Spring 2023 Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.
Page 15