Doc Bratrude had a date with his doctor friends on Tuesday the 20th, so we made plans to drive out to Wentachee, WA and have a barbecue with the siblings from my husband's side of the family. All but brother II and spouse were present and accounted for. We were welcomed with open arms to a spread of delicious appetizers, and Roxie and I went outside for a little fresh air.
What awaited us was the thickest, greenest, lushest lawn I have ever seen, and I could not believe it when I walked on it and my feet didn't even get wet. While Roxie ran and rolled on it with delight, I wandered around gazing at the lovely grounds, complete with panoramic vistas, noticing the ornamental shrubs, flowers, and trees that were interspersed with quaint little vegetable beds. It was a sight to behold.
Little did I realize that my sister-in-law was a "master gardener" who had recently won the coveted, "Henry Weed" gardening award that is presented at the local county fair. It was later at dinner that her husband, my brother-in-law, bragged about her winning the award at all. He pulled out an article about the pomp and circumstance, and my husband proceeded to read it (without his reading glasses) at a slow pace, accentuating the words weed - every time the word showed up in the article. It was nothing short of hilarious!
Everyone giggled when he read the headline: Bratrude Wins Weed Award. We chuckled with glee when he mentioned the word weed in the article, because not only was it used in such a way that one could interpret the word as a weed growing in the garden (nothing to get an award over), but it also implied that perhaps something illegal might be growing there. My sister-in-law's reaction to it all (humble, slightly embarrassed, yet proud) was extremely funny, and we all found ourselves belly laughing by the time he finished reading the article. When my husband read the part that quoted why she grew the Kohlrabi, we were all practically rolling on the floor laughing.
It was a delightful time that I will not forget soon, and it reminded me of how proud I am to be a member of this outstanding family. I was equally proud when my master gardener sister-in-law asked me for my opinion about what I would do in a problem area in her garden after the excellent garden tour she gave me the next day. This visit will serve to inspire me for days to come, and I came away with a new outlook on gardening that can only come from a "weed award" winner. It is possible to make an ornamental garden look beautiful while including vegetable beds in the plan. It's not just good looking, it attracts beneficial insects and makes it more functional as well. Think about it.
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