Red Maples and Daffodiles and Clemitis

Smell triggers memories. Songs trigger memories. Images do the same. This time of year the Red Maples scream at me of long lost homes. For reasons that are unclear to me, I have a mother that planted red maple trees at every home we lived. ( This does not include the Washington D.C. aparment where the maintenance guys came and dug up the pansies that I had planted outside of our basement apartment.)

We had a red maple in Ogden Utah, Spirit Lake, Idaho, Dalton Garden (two) and Hayden. There was one in Michigan, California and finally back in Michigan. She loved them and she left them all over the country. She also planted bulbs. It is just what you do, no matter how long you intend to live somewhere you leave a bit of yourself behind. Someone will come along and enjoy them.

She loved the surpizes each spring that came from a dead looking ground. It is always so much fun to see what will emerge and greet you at any given time.

I have followed her example for years. I planted bulbs in Dietrich ( both places). I left trees I loved on Capital Hill and here my mark has been made. Lots of things emerge each year. Lots of things I forget about and are a joy each time they come back. Many things I am uncertain will return. It is great that they do so with such regularity.

Maybe that is why Mom planted all those red maples, to leave something of herself behind, something small but tangible. I have driven by the trees on occasion and they do make a statement.

She planted a giant sequoia and was amazed with how much it has grown. She pointed out that it would have to come out eventually but then many not.