The poppies are beginning to bloom.

I acquired and planted these most glorious poppies from Arvo's Tadi Vilma well over 14 years ago. Alas, I do not know the exact year of acquistion. I simply know the year lies between our date of marriage and the birth of Erica. We managed to make quite a few bi-annual visits to her home in West Sand Lake, NY. We would stop to visit with her on our way to Vermont, to see my brother, and Connecticut, to see Arvo's parents. This blog post is to honor her memory and record the feelings aroused whenever I gaze upon these spectacular visions of nature.

Her home was an expansive, well preserved and imaculately maintained farmhouse situated very close to the road. It has an even grander sturdy, towering barn immediately across the road. She tirelessly cared for and primped the imacculate flower gardens that flanked the outside surroundings of the home. These showy poppies graced the garden, creating a bold and glorious view for the eye to see and stand in awe.

At first, when I acquired these flowers to bring home to Michigan, I had no idea what sort of lasting legacy to her I would be creating. I started with a few pips, or small plants from the mature ones. Vilma has long since departed this earth, leaving behind so many intricate whispers to those of us she loved. We no longer make the biannual visits to her home. Yet, these poppies begin blooming the week before Memorial Weekend every year. Just as we prepared and planned our journey to her house, the flowers prepare their journey of their bloom.

These flowers have slowly spread to other parts of our landscape. They have become a symbol of a legacy Vilma has left to those who loved her. These flowers, like her, have endured many years. They, like she, were transplanted to a new land not by their choice. They took root, spread and prospered under many hardships, physical and emotional. They continue through their offspring to prosper and reach for potentials beyond any stretch of the imagination. All of this happened with love, patience and knowledge of believing anything is possible in a new world if you so want it to happen.