We enjoyed beautiful and historic Santa Fe. We reminisced about the IU days and talked about how that period shaped our lives. Edie, Diane, Linda and Lynn and I were completing doctorate degrees in education while working on a national federally funded special education grant. Julius was a key support staff. We also talked about our lives since Indiana and our current passions and activities.
Our time together confirmed the value of friendship better expressed than I can in this Max Coots' poem.
A Harvest of People
"Let us give thanks for a bounty of
people:
For generous friends, with smiles as
bright as their blossoms.
For feisty friends as tart as apples;
For continuous friends who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we’ve had them.
For feisty friends as tart as apples;
For continuous friends who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we’ve had them.
For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;
For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn; and the others as plain as potatoes and as good for you.
For friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you through the winter.
For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time.
For young friends, who wind around like tendrils and hold us.
For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn; and the others as plain as potatoes and as good for you.
For friends as unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as parsley, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be counted on to see you through the winter.
For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time.
For young friends, who wind around like tendrils and hold us.
We give thanks for friends now gone,
like gardens past that have been harvested, but who fed us in their times
that we might live."
Shortly after returning from Santa Fe, my attention turned to Prospect Gardens. We are now starting the tenth year and over the years a "bounty of people" have volunteered. Those who have regularly showed up over the years are truly "generous friends, with smiles as bright as their blossoms."
April's events at Prospect Gardens began with Ann B. and I taking down the protective orange snow fences. Late last fall, someone tagged this section of the mural with graffiti. Dorrie, a neighbor, created the mural during April and May 2011.
Seven years without being tagged. Not bad of a run, given how often two nearby bridges are tagged. I repainted the area attempting to create clouds. I'm looking for a few bird stencils to enhance the effect of a bike in the sky.
Hopefully, the taggers will stay away. If not, this slab and perhaps the other sections of the mural along the sides of the ramps will need to be redone or redesigned.
The abstract bike really "pops" out. It will do for now. Somebody might come forward with ideas for a redesign and energy to install a new mural. Maybe they will be new "young friends who wind around like tendrils and hold us?"
Another task involved repairing terraces built to stabilize the slopes and prevent erosion. We all know impermanence is the reality of life. Ann B. weeded and swept the ramps while I tackled the terraces.
I added the two top rows to this one and rebuilt a second one in a different section. Eleanor, a nearby neighbor, gladly offered the heavy slabs for the taking. They are from an old fire pit she removed to make way for a new anticipated fence and a new dog. Moving the slabs in a wheel barrel meant plenty of exercise while ticking off steps on my Fitbit.
On Friday afternoon, April 26th, 13 volunteers joined Ann B. and I, to officially kicked off the 2019 gardening season. We welcomed three new faces, Elijah, Amy, and Mary. Mulch King Bob returned as well as Percy, Eli and Ann N.
John Imes, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI), also returned along with Justine, a WEI staff member, and this year's four University of Wisconsin Badger Volunteers, Morgan, Taylor, Ellie and Yeline. The Badger Volunteers, UW students, have been with WEI and John for the academic year and this was their last day.
John has his crew work at the Prospect Gardens one day month during the season except May. May is a transition month plus graduation, and of course, finals. A new crew of Badgers, along with Justine and John, will return on June 21st, July 12th and August 2 or 9th. Thank you John and all for your generosity and hard work.
This is the second year UW Badger Volunteers have helped tend the Gardens. Here's the crew pausing from their labors after I asked them to pose. They worked hard weeding and pulling garlic mustard. Not a slouch among them. John also pruned the shrubs bordering the ramp's wall.
I look forward to working again with Justine, John and a new Badger crew. Badger Volunteers is one of Morgridge Center for Public Service's programs. It's a semester-long program that places teams of students with schools, nonprofits, and municipalities. Volunteers work 1-4 hours each week at the same organization.
As a UW graduate and an elder, I receive much joy from working with these four young Badgers. May our paths cross again.
The following six pictures provide ample evidence that the other volunteers worked with gusto. Sorry to say, I missed snapping a picture of Mary while she weeded and pulled garlic mustard. Also missing is a picture of the all volunteers during break time enjoying Ann B's homemade treat. This time it was Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars.
Here's Amy, Elijah and Ann N. weeding the raspberry patch and getting it ready for mulching.
Here's Bob and Amy in action. Bob continues as our "mulch king" because he's good at and he so likes mulching.
The day before Ann B. and I purchased and delivered to the site ten bags of mulch from Home Depot. The trunk of our 2012 Honda Civic was packed and two bags were on the folded back seat. What a load! I wondered about the weight limit for a Civic as we slowly made our way back to Prospect Gardens.
Here's Elijah, a junior at West High School. What a great worker! At the end of the work session he offered to help clean up and put away the tools. Hopefully, he will become one of those "young friends, who wind around like tendrils and hold us" mentioned in Max Coot's poem.
Here's me towards the end of the work session standing besides the now mulched raspberry patch. That's Elijah behind the electric pole still working away.
This young man is Eli. This is Eli's second year volunteering and most likely this was his last time. He and his family live about a half block from the Gardens. Unfortunately for us but not the family, they will be moving to Middleton and into a home with an acre and half lot that includes a prairie. Ann B. and I wish the family the best and hope our paths too will cross again.
Here's Percy surveying a second cherry tree off to the left of the picture before pruning it. She just completed pruning the other cherry tree. I'm grateful to this Master Gardner for her pruning expertise and for being a regular volunteer.
I end with returning to Max Coots' poem and its message about being grateful for friends and all their uniqueness. The same applies to all volunteers who over the years tended Prospect Gardens. I feel especially blessed that 13 showed up on a bright sunny 2019 spring day to take us into the 10th year and perhaps beyond.
Saturday, May 18th, 9 am to noon, is the next work session. If you are in the Madison area, please join us. Our need for volunteers is constant since many come for one session, which is okay.
Thank you.
April's events at Prospect Gardens began with Ann B. and I taking down the protective orange snow fences. Late last fall, someone tagged this section of the mural with graffiti. Dorrie, a neighbor, created the mural during April and May 2011.Seven years without being tagged. Not bad of a run, given how often two nearby bridges are tagged. I repainted the area attempting to create clouds. I'm looking for a few bird stencils to enhance the effect of a bike in the sky.
Hopefully, the taggers will stay away. If not, this slab and perhaps the other sections of the mural along the sides of the ramps will need to be redone or redesigned.
The abstract bike really "pops" out. It will do for now. Somebody might come forward with ideas for a redesign and energy to install a new mural. Maybe they will be new "young friends who wind around like tendrils and hold us?"
Another task involved repairing terraces built to stabilize the slopes and prevent erosion. We all know impermanence is the reality of life. Ann B. weeded and swept the ramps while I tackled the terraces.
I added the two top rows to this one and rebuilt a second one in a different section. Eleanor, a nearby neighbor, gladly offered the heavy slabs for the taking. They are from an old fire pit she removed to make way for a new anticipated fence and a new dog. Moving the slabs in a wheel barrel meant plenty of exercise while ticking off steps on my Fitbit.
On Friday afternoon, April 26th, 13 volunteers joined Ann B. and I, to officially kicked off the 2019 gardening season. We welcomed three new faces, Elijah, Amy, and Mary. Mulch King Bob returned as well as Percy, Eli and Ann N.
John Imes, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI), also returned along with Justine, a WEI staff member, and this year's four University of Wisconsin Badger Volunteers, Morgan, Taylor, Ellie and Yeline. The Badger Volunteers, UW students, have been with WEI and John for the academic year and this was their last day.John has his crew work at the Prospect Gardens one day month during the season except May. May is a transition month plus graduation, and of course, finals. A new crew of Badgers, along with Justine and John, will return on June 21st, July 12th and August 2 or 9th. Thank you John and all for your generosity and hard work.
I look forward to working again with Justine, John and a new Badger crew. Badger Volunteers is one of Morgridge Center for Public Service's programs. It's a semester-long program that places teams of students with schools, nonprofits, and municipalities. Volunteers work 1-4 hours each week at the same organization.
As a UW graduate and an elder, I receive much joy from working with these four young Badgers. May our paths cross again.
The following six pictures provide ample evidence that the other volunteers worked with gusto. Sorry to say, I missed snapping a picture of Mary while she weeded and pulled garlic mustard. Also missing is a picture of the all volunteers during break time enjoying Ann B's homemade treat. This time it was Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars.Here's Amy, Elijah and Ann N. weeding the raspberry patch and getting it ready for mulching.
The day before Ann B. and I purchased and delivered to the site ten bags of mulch from Home Depot. The trunk of our 2012 Honda Civic was packed and two bags were on the folded back seat. What a load! I wondered about the weight limit for a Civic as we slowly made our way back to Prospect Gardens.
I end with returning to Max Coots' poem and its message about being grateful for friends and all their uniqueness. The same applies to all volunteers who over the years tended Prospect Gardens. I feel especially blessed that 13 showed up on a bright sunny 2019 spring day to take us into the 10th year and perhaps beyond.
Saturday, May 18th, 9 am to noon, is the next work session. If you are in the Madison area, please join us. Our need for volunteers is constant since many come for one session, which is okay.
Thank you.
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