Goodwill : the difference between a place to live & a community

I’ve said it before – I have always been blessed with amazing neighbors, the kind who demonstrate what it truly means to live in a House of Goodwill.

I know that they love me and I can prove it – the evidence is in my garden.

Something I love about gardening – so many plants multiply naturally that after a couple of years they can be divided and shared, which = more plants for less money.  They can be spread around the yard or shared with family and friends.  It is remarkable how many plants can be either divided or very easily propagated from cuttings.

Two years ago I received iris bulbs from two different friends, and sunflower divisions from another.  Since I didn’t know what the irises would look like, I planted them and this year had the fun surprise of watching them bloom for the first time.  They were breathtaking!  I have yet to see the sunflowers; I’ve still got something to look forward to.

What I love about these beautiful plants is, when I look at them I am reminded of my beautiful neighbors.

Like Jim & Jeanne, who showed up at my doorstep on my birthday to sing Happy Birthday to me.  It was right in the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, and everything was closed and there was nowhere to go celebrate.  It was a birthday stuck at home, which made their visit even more special.

Jim & Jeanne - 2 very special people!

Jim & Jeanne grow beautiful flowers, and my new purple & gold irises came from them.  Like our beloved Martha Lanham, Jim & Jeanne are always showing up with homemade food and cut flowers from their garden.

Irises from Jim & Jeanne - aren't they breathtaking?

Irises can be easily divided by separating the rhizomes when blooms are done.

These are the people who transform a neighborhood from a place to live to a real community.  Each year Jim & Jeanne host a summer block party, a Christmas party and a childrens’ backyard Bible club for anyone in the neighborhood who wants to come.  Though Jeanne’s been in a wheelchair for 15 years, their focus has always been on the needs of others.

These are my heroes and the people I want to emulate.

As my flowers from friends continue to multiply, I’ll make sure to pass them along to someone else who will love them too.