Over the Sink

My friend Joyce was moving to New Mexico years ago. Her home garden here in Beaufort was beautiful and she urged me, "Come get all the plants you want-hardly anything will make the transition to the desert." I went over with a spade and trowel and dug to my heart's content. One of Joyce's gifts keeps giving, year after year. The paper-white narcissus flowers that lined her driveway now live in my front flowerbed. This time of year, just as everything else is drooping and dying, the hardy paper-whites poke up through the loam and bloom. It's such a joy to see them and the holidays wouldn't be the same without their wonderful perfume.

I cut the narcissus, a few at a time, and put them in the little hanging vase next to the kitchen sink where I can enjoy them as I wash dishes. Today I scouted the flowerbed--they're back! And looks like they'll be blooming just at Christmas. The picture here shows last year's narcissus. Today the kitchen curtains are green (I change them every year-) and the toy Koala bear, dropped in the dish water this summer, is no more. But otherwise it's pretty much the same over the sink--the sign still hold true and the fragrant flowers live on. Thank you Joyce.