Grandma's Zinnia's

I have Zinnia's growing along the edge of one of the gardens.  These are special Zinnia's, the seeds have been saved from year to year and planted along an edge of our garden wherever we have been.  Some years the orange ones a grow better, some years the icy pink ones grow better, and some years all the colors do well.  No matter which ones grow better I carefully pull the seeds and store them for the next growing season.  It is always a pleasant surprise to see what grows.  The blooms draw in beneficial insects to help with pollination and bug control, the plants provide a wind block, an edging that delineates lawn from garden, welcome shade in the hot of the summer sun, and beautiful bouquets for the house.

All those things are not why the zinnias are so special to me.  You see they came from seed that my Mother and Grandmother gave me years ago from their gardens.  I can't help but think of these two ladies and the heritage they have taught me as I scatter the seed each spring, tend and nurture the plants, cut the blooms each summer and fall, and gather the seeds until the next season.

As my daughter comes in the door with some dry seed heads and asks me where to put them.....I pray that I am diligently scattering seed, tending and nurturing growing young women, and looking forward to the beautiful blooms that their lives will be.  I can't wait to share some zinnias with them when they head out to plant their own gardens.