Sunday, September 4, 2011

A BIRD IN THE HAND







LA CRESCENTA NURSERY, since we downsized and moved, is no longer on our regular itinerary, but time was that we were there every weekend, searching out new plants for our garden. Recently I had need of a hostess gift, which gave me a good excuse to head for the nursery. 


Arnoldo is always eager to be of service and he seemed not to mind running around until he'd gathered up what pleased me...... 2 little pots of basil snuggled into a basket, a gift that would have pleased me to receive, which is pretty much how I choose presents. I also try to take the recipients taste into consideration, but someone once said "if it pleases me at least that's something".


While Mr. Bob waited in the car, I looked around, sighing a lot, for I do miss visiting this wondrous place.








Finally, I pulled myself away and as I assumed my position in the driver's seat of the car, we spotted an old friend who has become hard of hearing for we shouted his name several times in increasingly loud volume before we got Walter's attention. When he came to our window, 


we exchanged pleasantries; he has a quick wit, so it was beyond the "How've you been?" sort of small talk. When we wound it up, he said, "Wait right there" and went to his car, returning with a fat, little, ceramic bird which he presented to us. I was left to wonder how he just happened to have that in his vehicle? It's so very "Walter", always full of surprises.




Every object in our 2 rooms has a story; some of them I've long forgotten, others are still vivid in my mind, but this recent tale is how I came to have a bird in hand.

5 comments:

  1. What a happy accident! I was poking around in Bloggers new whatever and found this post which was published last April. Very soon after that, it disappeared completely which made me sad for I rather liked it. So there's a chance that you saw it in the brief time it was visible. This was all before time narrowed in our world. There's a particular joie de vivre to it that I'm now missing. Hopefully it will reappear someday in the way that this lost blog popped up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank goodness you explained that in the comments, Jane. As I was reading this, I thought, "My gosh, don't Jane and Bob have ANOTHER friend who also produced a bird figurine as a gift from his car one day?!" I knew this was familiar. :) You guys have such great friends. I love these stories. :)

    What are your plans for tomorrow? Manor goings-on? Tim visiting? I hope you two have a nice day there. Mike and I will be getting KFC (chicken) and watching a movie--just a quiet and relaxed day, exactly what we need and want right now. I hope tomorrow and this week is good to you guys too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love it and love the smiles on both faces!! I do not remember it..really.. I do think of a couple words you used which many of us say. "I used to go there all the time". those are words that close businesses.. Time to shop! Ooops..Need a full time job first!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I LOVED going there! Sigh...another place to miss. Sweet story.
    ~MJ

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have fond memories of this nursery. Once as a teen, I called anonymously and asked if they sold opium poppies, to which they replied "Oh no, they are illegal!". I think I found it terribly amusing at the time but it now seems very juvenile.

    ReplyDelete