For The Love of the Four Seasons
Billie-Jo loved gardening, she also loved all of the four seasons, as with each one she got to plant new flowers, bushes and trees, yes trees, as she was lucky enough to live in a lovely country house with a garden to die for, and room for a pony or two.
Her favourite time of year was autumn, she loved seeing all the different colours bursting with pride within nature’s full blown glory.
Billie-Jo was in the autumn of her years, and hadn’t been feeling right in the last few months, she knew something was wrong but kept putting it off to go and see her doctor. She had a daughter called Emily who was in her late 50’s, and she happened to call in on this particular day to see how her mum was. She said “Mum, I do wish you would get someone in to take over the gardening for you … it’s too much for you now!” “No it’s not and you know how much I love it. What would I do if I hadn’t got my lovely garden?” Billy-Jo replied. Emily said “Well at least get someone in to help you, you can supervise; you’re good at that!” They both laughed and agreed that may be the best option.
Emily managed to talk her mum into going to the doctors, which she rarely did. They ran some tests that revealed that Billie-Jo had got Polymyalgia but more importantly she also had Angina. This was a shock to both of them, the doctor put her on a course of treatment straight away and advised she have an ECG done too, Billie-Jo said “I guess I had better start looking after myself a bit more now then!” and at that they both went home. Billie-Jo had married into money, never accepted by her husband who had passed away two autumns ago. She said to Emily “What would your father say to all this now?” Emily laughed and said “Make her do it Emily!” they laughed together over a very English afternoon tea in the back garden. It was still warm enough to eat outside, “That was lovely mum, I will go and cut your lawn then the paddock after ok?” “Yes thanks love that’s a big help, maybe I should get a pony!” They laughed together and Emily said “No he would eat your apples too!”
Later that evening there was a knock at the door Emily went to answer as she was staying over that night. It was an elderly man who looked to be in his 70’s and he said sorry for the late call in the day, but had heard there could be some gardening jobs going that he could do. His name was Harry and was quite a character, he carried on to say that someone had told him there could be a job here, and Emily replied I don’t know how they knew because we only decided today to get some part time help in for mum whilst I’m not here”
She invited him in and introduced him to her mother, and they hit it off instantly. They arranged the days and hours required and pay, to which he said “No I will do it free of charge. If I can grow some veg and flowers in your kitchen garden for me? “So there it was, Billie-Jo now had a new friend in Harry, they spent many a happy hour together either in the garden or visiting garden centres throughout the country, and even holidays together in the sun!
Love knows no boundaries of age colour or creed, love is indeed in the eye of the beholder!
Christie Cooper
Latest posts by Christie Cooper (see all)
- For The Love of the Four Seasons - August 1, 2014
- The Flower Lady - July 16, 2014
- White Horses - July 15, 2014
- The Evacuee’s - June 12, 2014
