The Joys of the Garden.

It was all hands to the tiller in the village last night. The local floral group were out preparing the flower beds for the annual display of flowers. During the summer the village is indeed a place of real beauty, flower beds, large tubs of flowers and hanging baskets on all of the lampposts. A lot of work goes into making the village look as good as it does.

It was very noticeable that most of the workers were retired people. I suspect that many of the younger generation are either too busy or just assume that it all happens. I spent a bit of time in my own garden yesterday. I have been trying to get the lawns into shape, all three of them and it is hard work. My little vegetable plot and  fruit bushes are at last showing signs of progress with the warming weather. The first of my potatoes are poking their heads through the soil in the hope of finding the sun.

It is all very time consuming but a joy to behold as things blossom and grow.

I was watching the news later and one item brought together my day in the garden and a long remembered story.

An old Italian man lived alone. He wanted to plant his annual vegetable garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was very hard.

His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:

Dear Vincent,

I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my vegetable garden this year I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over.

I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.

Love,

Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Papa,

Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.

Love,

Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, the local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Papa,

Go ahead and plant the vegetables now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.

Love you,

Vinnie

Enterprising, indeed. Such a pity that a man with such speed of thought had not used it for the better good and managed to stay out of prison.  How often it is that  we use our talents for all the wrong things.