Purple Mountain Majesties

I was out in my backyard looking at my "rock garden" contemplating what I could do to make it pretty. I long for something green. I look at my Southern Living magazines and I get so homesick. All the beautiful green grass, tall tall trees, and gorgeous flowers remind me of all that I left behind. So, I'm trying to think of something that is not prickly to plant in my pots to make my back yard look good. My thoughts then drift to my grandmother, Memaw, and all her beautiful plants she had. She loved to work in her yard. It was a showplace! She had mimosa trees lining her driveway, a garden full of vegetables and strawberries, and the most beautiful flowers. She even had a cherry tree, which was so appropriate since her name was Cherry. I would always have so much fun helping her in her yard. We would pick cherries and strawberries. (Nothing tastes better than one of her strawberries strait of the vine!) Even though her yard was her pride and joy, she would always let me drag the water hose out to a patch of fresh dirt and make mud pies! I would have so much fun with my pies lining her driveway to bake in the sun. Those were the days!

I remember one time in particular when Memaw was digging in one of her beds out back. She had on jeans, a long sleeved shirt, and of course a hat. I was sitting by her side "helping". She looked up at one of the trees in her yard and gently held one of the leaves in her hand, and she said to me, "Just look at this. How can people look at this and not believe in God." I looked at the intricate leaf differently, with my new "Memaw" eyes. I saw the differnt shades of green and the little vains feeding the leaf. It was a miricle. I have never looked at a leaf in the same way since. What a gift she gave me that day.

Although Memaw had such a beautiful yard with so many many lovely things. The one thing that definitely screams Memaw to me is lilies. She had so many in her yard. She would dig them up and move them so her yard was full of the most beautiful yellow and orange lilies. As I sit on my back porch I long to plant Lilies along my back fence, but I knew that the harsh desert sun would bake them to a crisp just like my mudpies!

So as I sat feeling very homesick and longing for something green my eyes wandered out of my yard to the mountains in the distance. They were purple! The sun was setting and casting the most beautiful shade of violet over the mountains in the distance. The clouds around them were also a wonderful shade of purple and pink. How Glorious! As I sat there awestruck the song , Oh Beautiful, came to mind. Purple Mountain Majesties..... That's what I was seeing. Then it hit me. If my Memaw had been sent out west she might have missed her green yard, but she would have found contentment in what God was offering her at the moment. This is what I will do. I will find the beauty in my new surroundings and glorify God in all his creations! What another gift Memaw has given me. Thanks Memaw!

Now, I wonder what kind of cactus I should plant?