A Peace Library, This Garden

I'm in my second year of tending some of the flowerbeds around our village library now.

One of my friends with an amazing collection of hosta lilies announced that she was going to thin them out -

I begged for hostas for the library, and received them in abundance.

The hostas then inspired me to start a shade garden along the side of the library which gets no sun.

Then I begged my neighbor for thinnings from her fern garden - and she, too, had plenty to give me.

Everybody loves our library.

I wish the whole world could visit here, one person at a time,

to just BE in the green quiet of this loveliness.

I wish that each visitor could leave footprints of peacefulness along the way,

creating a path of peace which might last for years to come.

The richness of the greening spring-to-summer bloomings,

the damp earth green scents perfumed with blossoms on their long stalks,

the visitors.

A peace library, this garden -

ferns and hosta lilies, the librarians.

Comments: 13

Kushal Poddar May 16, 2009, 10:56pm EDT

Beautiful writing. It is good and different.

the ruin

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Carol Lloyd May 16, 2009, 11:16pm EDT

Thanks for posting.

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Tanya P. May 17, 2009, 1:23am EDT

We're going to have to manifest a good digital camera for you.

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Rosa See Ya May 17, 2009, 3:32am EDT

I can only imagine what an inspiration you and your little garden friends have been for the Library patrons. I wish I could come see it, but you know, I can already see it through an imprint on my heart.

As a side note, I got to plant a little garden for the first time in several years. Hubby made me some little box planters to put alone our sunny parking spot here at the apartment. It's really cool, Carolion, I got to plant some cabbage and brocolli and brussel sprouts, who all love the cool Montana weather, LOL, I'm thankful because we had a real extra long winter this year. I also planted a few radishes and one cherry tomato plant. I am in seventh heaven right now, singing with the choir......

Oh Sweet Pea
Come on and dance with me
Com'on Com'on Com'on
And dance with me...eee...eeee...............

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Wilhelmine Estabrook May 17, 2009, 4:16am EDT

Lovely. I think we all leave footprints of some kind. We have a choice to leave peaceful ones.

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Katrina Hall May 17, 2009, 7:43am EDT

Isn't that wonderful? Much of the joy of gardening comes from remembering those who shared their snippets of plants now blooming in the garden - and a library, above all, is such a lovely place to cherish that memory.

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Carolion Grailbear May 17, 2009, 7:56am EDT

Poddar, thank you.
And Carol -

Tanya, what a concept! Oh my goodness - All I have to do is allow it. OK!

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Carolion Grailbear May 17, 2009, 7:58am EDT

Rosa - thinking of you and your veggies makes me really, really happy. I get a picture of lovely green light around your hands as you work with them, and a golden beam of light from your eyes as you encourage them to be the best they can be, and more.
From my garden to yours - hallelujah!

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Carolion Grailbear May 17, 2009, 8:02am EDT

Thanks for that reminder, Wilhelmine - it gives me a picture of what sorts of footprints might enter the space, and what kind, we may hope, will leave it.

Katrina - it is, it is. There are so many who've contributed, and who stop by to see how their plants are doing. Hearts and hands - happy sharing.

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Svetlana Goryacheva May 17, 2009, 10:57am EDT

Now, this was fantastic, dear Carolion, and, being a librarian, I find this parallel between the garden and the library most fitting and creative.

Hugs and blessings - S.

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外国人 (Waiguoren) the Great May 17, 2009, 12:14pm EDT

Unfortunately, the garden at the local library is on a slop, which it makes it difficult to enjoy while reading outside (that and the weather hasn't been great lately). To make matters worse, they're doing construction at the park by my brother's house, so I can't go read there until they finish beautifying the park (since it's city union labor, it should be finished in five years).

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Carolion Grailbear May 17, 2009, 10:06pm EDT

Sveta, maybe one of these days we'll be networking with peace garden librarians all over the world, eh?

Lol, Waiguoren - I hear that there is a "guerilla gardening" movement happening here and there. Maybe you'll become a beautifier-on-the-sly. (c:*

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Karen E. May 20, 2009, 5:03pm EDT

Yes, I visited and left a sweet Trillium there. The jewel of the cool woods for your peace garden.

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A Peace Library, This Garden

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