I’m A Clubwoman

DAFFODILS ARE A BLESSING

by rosemary on 04/21/09 at 9:59 pm

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Daffodils and My Shadow

The  Woman’s Club clubhouse and my home are in a very low income neighborhood. I planted daffodils in a bleak spot at the base of the side steps to the clubhouse. A local elderly woman, who walks her dog that way everyday, stopped to chat as I planted them last November. Five days ago the daffodils bloomed. Today, I was fully involved with weeding the front beds, when I saw her little dog Henry sniffing at the end of the leash. She exclaimed to me, “ oh, your flowers are a blessing”. ‘Yes”, I agreed, “they are”. She said, “As I walk and see where flowers are planted, it changes my day to a happy one. I keep checking back to see if they are in bloom.”

Ten years ago, I sat through a meeting with a HUD bureaucrat who expounded on why it was a waste of money to plant street trees and put flowers in parks in low income neighborhoods. He stated that “low income people could care less about shade or nature in general”. I think of that moment often, and try my hardest to combat that ugly, inhuman attitude.

As House Superintendent, I want to be sure that the clubhouse puts its best foot forward for all my neighbors to enjoy. The clubhouse is around the corner from my house. The elderly lady lives close by in a little apartment on her social security payments. We agree that trees and flowers are a blessing that all humans can appreciate, income has nothing to do with it.

Rosemary's 1904 house in March

Coreen and Brenda, both neighbors and clubwomen work the big Spring weeding