A Field of Dreams
A Field of Dreams
Shanksville, Pennsylvania holds an open meadow surrounded by brilliant color in the fall. Hawks occasionally soar above visitors as we view the beauty of wildflowers under a crisp blue sky.
Properly called a borough, Shanksville is a tiny town of only 0.2 square miles with a couple hundred residents. The borough incorporated in 1913, is named after Christian Shank, a German immigrant, who settled in the area in 1798. Technically the term borough refers to a self-governing walled town, but the term is used loosely in the States.
The bucolic meadow outside Shanksville, previously known only to locals, reflects a field of dreams--dreams of past, reality of the present, and a changed future. Standing near the field after September 11, 2001, we witnessed the painful present and mourned the loss of life. A permanent memorial now serves to honor the passengers and crew of United Flight 93. Each September, we remember the lives lost and families left to carry on.
During the year, Flight 93 National Memorial volunteers and rangers keep alive memories of the passengers and crew on their birthdays. Given a choice, I would rather remember Todd on his birthday--remember his life, more powerfully than his death. What were his hopes and dreams? Many, I know, came true. We celebrate his life and take special note in November, his birthday month.
How do you remember loved ones?
Plants and flowers speak to me. My grandmother's Peony blooms around Mother's Day, Daffodils, gifted by a dear friend, cheerfully appear in spring, and a weeping Katsura tree named 'Amazing Grace' reminds me of my dad. These are just a few of the many memories in my garden.
I plan to share with a family who recently and unexpectedly lost their beautiful wife and mother. Her birthday was in October, and I'm searching for a flowering plant to honor her memory. My lovely Sasanqua Camellia is currently in bloom, and I think the feminine pink flowers would gently capture memories each year during her birthday month. Linked are a couple of sources that can help identify flowers by their month of bloom - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_flower and http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Flowers_by_Month. I'm searching for a source that includes woody trees and shrubs. How could we possibly leave out Camellia, Magnolia, or Gardenia?
My garden holds living memories of many who are and have been near and dear to me. I appreciate memories in my garden and hope to share with others a tradition that brings comfort to us and life to the memories of those we've loved. We all are subject to and will suffer loss. At the same time, we can celebrate the life of loved ones lost.
~ LowTide explorer, Carolyn Fjeran
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