MY FRIEND ANN

My friend Ann died last week.
I met Ann about 20 years ago through the Master Gardener program. Although we were a generation apart in age, we were instant friends. I loved visiting her garden with it's mixture of wild and cultivated plants. Plants grew along the side of the road, up and down the slopes, in the fields, among the weeds. Ann loved plants. Over the years, we shared garden stories, family stories, thoughts about current events, and, of course, we shared plants. Many times I'd find pots of plants on my porch that she had dropped off. I was always happy when she had a chance to visit my garden. I depended on her to help me identify my "unknowns". And she often left my garden with a plant or two.
We had little gettogathers with other gardening friends at her house under the tree. We talked and talked and laughed and laughed. Once, Ann even invited us to a tea party courtesy of her daughter, Jill and Jill's friend, Raymond. We had so much fun!
Ann was an earth mother. She was an observer of nature. She noticed the intricacies of plants and uniqueness of animals. The tiny clay animals she shaped and glazed reflected her powers of observation. She wrote a garden column for the Morning Sun to fulfill her volunteer Master Gardener hours. Later, she contributed gardening articles to a local magazine. I loved her writing, forthright and down to earth.
Ann was generous, generous with her time and generous with her love. She saw beauty in nature, she saw beauty and potential in people. I can honestly say the world is a better place because of her.
I will miss my friend Ann.