[Child of the 7th Age]

Eruantalon's post

Every one had been moving along and Olo was feeling more tired than usaual. He felt weighed down by all the running around and shopping. His legs where aching and his back was feeling the weight that was on it from earlier. He started to think of his wonderful garden. All the pretty flowers that needed his attention. He hoped his children where taking good care of them. He felt weary and needed a good rest. Gardens.....wait a moment. Crystal wanted to know all about his garden. That would put some of the tiredness out of his mind for a while!

Crystal had just gotten done talking to Pearl. He walked straight up to her and said " Hullo there, Crystal! I was thinking we could have that talk about gardens!"

"That would be wonderful Olo," Crystal said.

"How do you keep your garden so colorful in the fall? I really like it. In my garden the colors start to fade in Winter until there's nothing left," said Crystal.

"That has a lot to do with my grand dad and Master Hamfest's father. His father and mine knew each other quite well. They were always trying to find a way to get the gardens to last a little longer. They came up with this mix that can feed the plants and make them think its still quite warm. Its a strange mix that has potato starch among many other things. I have the recipe at home. It gives the flowers and plants a kind of cold weather coat to keep them warm. It also has lots of the good things they need. Me and old Hamfest have been perfecting it for years now. Our dads passed the recipe to us. We had to swear that any one who really wanted to keep their gardens beautiful would get it. They would have to show a real interest in gardens, just like you did Crystal. All you have to do is put the mix into your watering pot and water your garden. I'll give you some when we get back home. I'll give you that recipe," said Olo.

"And how and where do you get all your beautiful and extraordinary flowers from? Most shops, I know, sell just the normal ones every Hobbit in the Shire owns. You know all the boring Sunflowers and so on...," said Crystal.

"Ah yes, my darlin' flowers. As I told you, my famly has had a long love of gardens. My father was the person who got those. He loved flowers more than anything. He used to ask those who travel on the great road to bring back flowers and pay them well for their help. He never really left the Shire but got the most wonderful flowers from almost every where. He had lots of friends who were travelers. They would find all kinds of splendid types for him. They always kept a look out. So you see between my father and grand dad we got quite a garden in the end," answered Olo

"What do you do every day to keep the garden so nice? Looks as if you put in a lot of work there every day." said Crystal.

Now all this talk of travelers and gardening got everyones attention. The rest of the company came in close enough to hear what Olo and Crystal where talking about. It was such a plesant conversation that they all felt the warmth of the Shire's finest gardens right there with them on the journey. They all smiled and listened, and were actually interested in how Olo kept his garden so nice. He was so willing to give away all his secrets. They couldn't help but open their ears.

"What do I do you ask?? What don'tI do should be the question. Watering the plants with my mixture of course, singing to them, talking to them, mulching, weeding, trimming, pruning, planting, reseeding. They all have their time and place. A good gardener know when and how to do it right! But every day the soil must be kept loose and moist. That's the most important part of keeping a good garden. Your mother Belladonna knows that first hand. I know she hasn't been able to keep up with all her gardening duties. Your father Tolman is quite the gardener I should say. We would probably be neck to neck if it came down to a comparison. But your dad and grand dad didn't love gardening as much as mine did. But with a little help from me by next fall your garden should be just as lovely!"

"How long have you been gardening? I just started with it since my mothers back is getting worse and she can't take much care of the plants anymore. Still, I like it," said Crystal.

"Well now, that's a bigger question than you think. I had a pale and spade when I was two but I don't think that counts," Olo said as he chuckled to himself.

"I have been gardening for about 25 years now Crystal. My family has been gardening for as long as I can remember. Thats not quite as long as some though. But I would say it was quite long enough. Does your sister Ruby help you at all? If she doesn't that would be a waste now, wouldn't it? Two fine young girls not doing a bit of gardening. If you do it together, you'll both get the attention. I can hear it now. There goes Crystal and Ruby. They have the best garden in the Shire. Ohh, what I wouldn't give to have their garden. And they're so young. How do you think they do it?"

Crystal seemed to chuckle at the idea of people saying that. Besides it was a funny idea. What would young girls want with gardening when there are plenty of wonderfull games to play? Olo knew this. He only said it to make Crystal laugh, which it did. But she seemed vary interested in all the help Olo couldn give her. She talked about Olo's green, green grass. He told her about that being part of the secret of the 'mix' as he called it.

The others joined in the talk of gardens. Prim told about how she had wonderful Dogwoods. "I have been tending them for a while now. They seem quit lovely around my Hole. They're scattered all about. I have been trying to get them to stay longer as the winter approaches. Could you give me some of that mix too, Olo."

"Of course Prim. I'll give you some and the recipe!"

Biffo had that certin look that only he could give. Uncle Olo was beaming now. Maybe this was a good time to ask for some of the seeds he knew Olo had. "Uncle Olo, you have seeds right. I heard you say that before. Think I could borrow some sometime? My Rose bushes are pretty and all, but they could use some company!"

"Take what every you like Biffo! Oh that reminds me, Crystal you might want some too. There are certain seeds you can still plant even this late in the year. By mid spring your garden will be so lovely!"

"My Mom keeps a nice Lilac tree in our yard. I take care of it usually. It's so sweet in the summer time. You can smell it quite a ways away. I really like it. Its one of my favorite things to do in the summer. Just sit and comb my hair in my room by my window and smell the Lilacs," said Pearl.

"Oh now, it's getting a bit late isn't it everyone. I hope we don't have to sleep out now. I can't seem to remember what the decision on that was. It makes no differnce to me whether we're in Inns or camping outside, as long as I have a nice fire to sit beside and smoke my pipe."

Still, the hobbits kept chattering about gardens, discussing this flower and that. This conversation became so animated that none of them caught the first faint hints that something or someone unwelcome was lurking nearby.

[ February 27, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]