The Grandpa Stone and the Allium

The flower is one of Rick's favorites, for how ethereally symmetrical and oddly perfect it is. But they are toxic for dogs, being part of the onion family, so it must be in the front yard to keep the back yard safe for Cleo. She likes its grass-like foliage.

The Grandpa Stone once was one of several lining the driveway of my Grandpa Kopsell's farm. Each spring they were freshly painted bright white. You can see the remnants of the last painting, done in his own hand. I am allowing it to weather; I don't care, myself, for painted stones, and as this stone is not being used as a guideline for nighttime drivers or widely-spaced tractor tires, it no longer needs to be as bright. The effect is appropriate.

When we grandkids were young, we would play balancing games on them, which was very challenging, given how widely spaced they were. We weren't supposed to do that; of course, we weren't supposed to play in the barnyard when the steer were out either...

(Simply amazing, isn't it, that any of us 'of a certain age', made it to maturity? Though there are those who make the argument that we've still got a ways to go.)

When he left the farm, the stones went with him. When he left this world, my mom asked for a stone for me and for my brother.

I treasure my Grandpa Stone and the still-vivid memories it helps me nurture alongside our plants in the garden.