Hollyhocks

 

I was thinking about hollyhocks today. I have some hazy memories of my home in Appalachia and hollyhocks. I remember they were everywhere, and each one was as beautiful as the next. I found a story titled Finding Beauty in the Flower Garden on the Blind Pig and the Acorn site and it touched my heart. For sure those who lived deep in the mountains had a harder life, but they had the beauty of the hollyhocks and each other. 

https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/finding-beauty-in-the-flower-garden/

I have so many memories of my grandmothers, aunts, and of course Granny walking me around their flower gardens.

I’ve always been drawn to flowers, likely because Granny loves them so much. As you might guess, I like the old fashioned sort of flowers like hollyhocks, zinnias, roses, lilies, and bachelor buttons.

I remember being in my Mamaw Marie’s flower garden and having a bumblebee land on my yellow sweater. The image has stayed in my mind all these years. I’ve often wondered if the mesmerizing color of the bee against the sweater is why I’ve never been afraid of bees.

Don Casada has often written about flowers that can be found at old homeplaces. Even though the folks are long since gone, as is any vestige of their homes, the flowers remain.

I know the people who lived deep in the mountains where life was harder than it is for me were surely cheered by the blooms in their yards just as Granny, my aunts, and me are.