It's me, Diana... Yeah, I'm back! I woke up this morning with the desire to write. It's been such a long time since I've written. So many changes...life changes, additions, subtractions. But this morning, after our morning walk (Ralph and I are back walking our Jack Russell terrier, Peggy Sue.), there was something different. I can't put my finger on it but it was so powerful, I had to turn my tablet on and take pictures.
Everyday, Ralph and I check on our grapes. Poor babies have been in pots all this time and we would watch as their fruit would get disintegrated by the passing visitors, mostly kisskadees, blue jays, and mockingbirds. This year we had the option of covering them with chicken wire before the fruit arrived and it worked. My first morning photograph...
Ralph took it one step further. It's a little different...but the same. Both are tributes to God, nature, and our family. Our back yard, well, see for yourself...
Our grotto...or meditation garden.
My mother-in-law, Aminta Mercedes Lane Garza, aka Bobo (I LOVE her and her name!) asked my father-in-law for a grotto out at Red Gate when they were with us. The land got sold and the grotto was never built...so Ralph and I decided to build our Bobo's grotto in our back yard. I don't know if you can see it but there's a fairly big ferris wheel on the left. The plant (its a palm of somekind) growing smack in the middle, in back, was given to me when Diana was born by my grandmother, Tomasita C. Lopez. I took it everywhere we went until we settled here. It has withstood freezes, hailstorms and all kind of sundry weather...just like she did.
We have fruit bearing citrus trees...valencia oranges, Texas Valley lemons, and Ruby Red grapefruit. and you won't believe the yield!! Its a reminder of my grandfather, Urbano Corpus who was a citrus/produce farmer in Mission. His Texas Valley lemons were the best!!! The plants in the corner are mango trees and if you look carefully at the picture of our grotto, we also have a papaya tree right next to the hoe.
Don't know if you can tell but the green bush up front of the tree is sweet basil...and the pot in front of the pineapple plant is peppermint. I have peppermint in several pots so in the evening when the breeze goes through you can smell the sweet peppermint, plus mosquitoes don't like peppermint...and its great for a tall glass of green tea!!!
It's a jungle out there. Believe it or not...the majority of our plants are gifts. The big schefflera was a gift from a birdie. One day I saw a little bitty plant growing in a pot and now its this huge plant. Others were gifts when my girls were born, when family members passed away, some are from birthdays. Each is a gift of love. And when a branch broke free, Ralph or I would stick it in another pot and, well this is how it happened.
The crucifix made of mirrors was a gift from our oldest niece, Norma Flores Garcia, aka Stormy and the small church fronts on the wall are gifts from a friend, Javi Limas.
The picnic table was made by a friend and co-worker of mine, Roberto Martinez, who taught woodshop at McAllen High School. It also reminds me of the last time our cousin, William "Billy" Zamora, came to visit us for a barbeque. The back yard was still dirt but Billy made us laugh. I still remember the laughter, Billy.
My back yard is a reminder of family, friends, acquaintances, and all the celebrations we've had throughout the years starting from when it was a field of dirt and burrs.
Being in our back yard is so peaceful. There's a big live oak tree that was given to us by my father-in-law, Ralph P. Garza. It was about three feet tall when he gave it to us. That was in the year 2000. It has been the corner of our foundation. The shade it provides is awesome. The picture I'm posting does not give it justice. But every time I sit under Pande's tree, I feel the love, peace, protection, most of all I feel the all embracing love only our God can give.
I hope you enjoyed my tour. I realized my back yard WAS different from my parents. All of my family and friends are all represented in my back yard. Maybe back then it was, too...back then, I just didn't see it.
