I have very few friends who

understand me as well and tolerate me as patiently as does Florence, my former neighbor. Within ten minutes of walking into her kitchen for an overnight visit, I asked, "Would you mind if I take a few pictures of your garden before lunch?"

"Of course not!"

And so I did.

I do love tulips, but I love Florence so much more.

Yup

Especially at my friend F's house, where a few of her deceased husband's tulips still bloom

and where conversations about things that matter happen in a room whose windows reflect their garden. 

Sometimes I Just Need a Little Color

so I abandon bugs for blooms.

Certain Knowledge

I always heard that tulips bloom once, then you have to dig them up, and protect them all winter before sticking the bulbs back in the ground, so they'll bloom again.

No one pulled up J's bulbs, and look what happened anyway.

Over there, on the left, my cat Grady (Gray Drawers) lies and next to her or under her or near her is Buddy, J's beloved dog. J and F buried Grady for me because I couldn't, and they sang songs, and treated her like "fambly," just like they've treated me.

So when I went up to see F today and saw those tulips, I thought, Nothing ever ends: not Buddy, not Grady, not tulips, not even J, who planted them all.