Nina's gardens

Last Friday I set out to take some blog pictures I had in mind.

I turned into her house to say hello to my friend, Nina.

The east side of Nina's house.

Perhaps the reason I had hibiscus on my mind.

Most everyone in this old quarry town has scrap sandstone for sidewalk.

Nina has old millstones.

As we were talking I realized I had promised to send my granddaughters to help Nina clear out her "arboretum"--last June. And hadn't.

Well, I could still do something for her, she announced, looking at the camera.

For years Nina has supervised a little garden behind the intermediary school.

First the girl scouts maintained it, "but they all grew up, you know."

Now neighborhood children who attend the intermediary school are the caretakers.

And, Nina would so appreciate some pictures.

So, it was my next stop.

Can you believe this?

I have nothing more to say, until we get up to the "arboretum."

So, up the hill to Nina's "arboretum."

I should have been prepared.

Last spring she said it has been neglected, these last several years she has not been well.

But she felt up to it again, and had rounded up neighborhood children to clear the undergrowth.

The same job I forgot to send Emily and Laura to.

I'm sure a lot of other arboretum fairies were involved,

chipping all the brush,

spreading the mulch.

Nina mentioned one who brought over a chipper,

another who brought extra loads of mulch.

The mulch shovel and bucket.

I know the boy scouts made the new benches.

Years ago, when Nina first decided to adopt this grove

an arborist helped her identify all the trees.

I'm looking forward to asking Nina where the identifying plaques came from.

You know that's another story.