My Grandpa's Garden - Susan Lawrence Bartel

Every summer I spent weeks at a time at my Grandma and Grandpa Lawrence's house in El Dorado. Across the small driveway was a 1/3 acre garden plot that was my Grandpa's pride. I can still feel the freshly tilled brown dirt, warmed by the summer sun, squishing up between my toes on my grubby bare feet. I can hear the hum of the honey bees, busy gathering nectar. I can taste the first ripe strawberry...never have any strawberries been so sweet, so juicy. I can remember lying in between the rows and watching the fluffy, white clouds pass slowly by, creating animals in their shapes. And I can hear my Grandpa's melodic whistle. My Grandpa was known for his whistling...even to the point of being nicknamed Birdie and known throughout Butler County as Birdie Lawrence. He whistled old folk songs, probably tunes he made up, theme songs from the 50's television shows, and hymns. Of all my memories spending time with Grandpa in his garden, the one engraved on my heart and that brings tears to my eyes so easily is Grandpa whistling, "In the Garden". Sometimes he sang it in his rich baritone, softly, while his hoe kept time. And I was quiet and listened and knew that time was exceptional, when spent with my Grandpa, in his garden.