Letter to Jonathan, Sarah, Joshua and Christina (June 8, 2016)
Dear Jonathan, Sarah, Joshua and Christina,
I have heard how much rain and cloudy days you have received
in the past couple months. Sounds so like typical NY weather, which you are
familiar with.
So I thought I would send you a picture of the first peonies
to bloom here at the cottage. We had a late bloom on most things. Unusual. You
recall all the peonies and lilacs and flowers, etc. we had at our yellow house.
We all loved blooming times, when you each we're bringing me flowers to put on
the table.
Many of them live on at Aunt Jackie's house. As she took
small chunks of things to plant in her gardens. And in Virginia, we tried
several new plants, which did well. Do you remember how the grapes and Jacobs
ladder climbing Rose bush (from Joelle too I think), flourished.
At the Mazz house I had no heart for gardens. I did
transplant raspberries from our yellow house, and my moms rhubarb. But that is
all. Then we purchased this cottage. And we looked it over in winter, with
moving in time in late May I think, and then what a surprise. Each month new
plantings emerged. Many that I had had, and loved, and lost. There are
varieties of lilacs, peonies, hydrangea, lily of the valley, irises, fern,
myrtle, pachysandra, climber roses, grapes, apples, pears, herbs, flowering
bushes, flowering trees from all around the world, even a bush named
Carlyce...a bush with a lovely scent.
Oh and Josh, there are giant old locust trees here. You
always noticed the lovely scent they gave out in spring. Plus a Creek, woods, gravel beach, hill for
sliding, 2 bridges, and a nice wide porch for rocking and eating out. Now dad
has his boat and dock in, and we are told, one of the best fishing spots on the
lake for bass, pike, etc. Well it's a
gift to us to be sure. A place for dad to heal and recover, a place for me to
be safe until you return to us. God was covering us with his wings surely, to
enable us to heal after so much abuse.
And it will be a retreat for you all too I pray. When you
come back to us. We love you and pray for you and need you desperately. Come
home. No matter what you have done, no matter what you have become, come home.
