We've passed the midpoint of May and warmer weather has returned after nighttime temperatures dipped into the 40s a few nights last week. Several nice rains in the last couple of weeks have really greened up area pastures and lawns.
A variety of iris are still blooming, the mock orange on the north fence is covered in snowy white blossoms and the fat buds of peonies have opened.
The peonies, with their pleasing sweet fragrance, are among my favorite flowers. In Chinese tradition the peony symbolizes good fortune and is called the "flower of wealth and honor."
On Saturday, the 10th, friends southeast of town offered me some of their strawberries. They were wanting to thin the plants in their beds, so I went out and dug up over two dozen. I brought them home, along with a few stalks of asparagus, dug holes and planted them in our raised bed near Jim's shop. I watered them well that evening and the next and appreciated the rains the next couple of days to help get them off to a good start.
With all the digging involved in transplanting the strawberries, my back was protesting a bit by the time I finished the job. It was nice that Jim had already started supper when I came in. He was cooking a big pot of red beans with chopped onion and diced tomatoes. I put another pan on the stove and steamed the poke greens and lamb's quarter I'd gathered, then baked a pan of corn bread to round out the meal.
The farmers' market is going strong. We bought our tomato and pepper plants from one of the vendors there and have enjoyed crunchy radishes, green onions and asparagus from their gardens. We dropped by Saturday on our way home from the graduation ceremonies and purchased more green onions, some French Breakfast radishes and the last purple asparagus (the grower tells us it will turn green when cooked). We look forward to seeing the new offerings each week.
The big event this last weekend was the Gravette High School graduation. We drove to Lion Stadium Saturday morning to watch grandson A.J. and his classmates participate in the event marking the end of their public school years. The morning was a bit chilly and a brisk wind removed a few mortarboards, but the sun gradually warmed the air and contributed to a pleasant experience. We joined the crowd of proud parents, grandparents, family members and friends and watched intently for our special graduate to appear.
I couldn't refrain from making a few comparisons with my own graduation from GHS exactly 50 years ago this month. Our class of 40 was smaller, only about a third the size of this year's 116 member Class of 2014, but we too were eager to embark on our future paths. There were feelings of anticipation and excitement as we looked ahead to college, careers and, for a few, new marriages. At that point we felt we could go anywhere, do anything, conquer any heights, a feeling instilled in us by parents and the excellent faculty of Gravette Schools.
Much has changed in this old world in the last 50 years, but that is one thing that has remained the same. Gravette has managed to attract quality teachers who were genuinely interested in their students and intent on nurturing them and helping them develop to their fullest potential. They are to be commended for their role in the success of many GHS graduates.
In early afternoon I went to our quilt guild meeting. Since I've missed it the last two months, it was really good to see the ladies again. We enjoyed visiting and catching up on the news and projects of each one. I stayed long enough to sample most of the tasty refreshments, from asparagus quiche to peanut butter pie, and get instructions for the card trick quilt block, but I left before the "show and tell" time to drive to the kids' house for A.J.'s graduation party.
We visited with the other guests, congratulated the family's new graduate and were treated to a filling meal of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans and chips. There were sliced fresh strawberries and cupcakes frosted with black and orange icing for dessert.
To A.J. and all his fellow graduates I'd like to dedicate "A Graduation Wish" by Katherine Davis: "May you always have ... enough success to make you proud, enough joy to keep your heart singing, enough trials to keep you strong, enough luck to make you smile at life, enough work to keep you from getting rusty, enough of all life's treasures to keep you truly happy."
Susan Holland is longtime resident of Benton County and a staff member of the Westside Eagle Observer. She may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 05/21/2014