Community Spirit

Uplifting Art by a Neighbor Child

There is not much my husband and I feel capable of doing for society outside maintaining social distance. But our Southwest Ohio community here in the United States seems one of the most fortunate. Several commercial and consumer operations remain functional, the latter offering curbside pick-up and/or delivery. So my food loving husband started utilizing a restaurant delivery service, providing others a little financial support while boosting our own morale.

It’s funny. We mostly stopped dining out following my early retirement, even more after his, while in recent past many working families almost never ate a home-cooked meal. I did not realize the prevalence until my husband passed along news that this higher demand is why grocers struggle to maintain some seemingly random supplies; it’s not toilet paper so much as odd items like artificial butter spray.

Go figure…

How lucky for us Door Dash was already well established, and nice that they’re waiving the upfront five or six dollar fee. We order online, paying a reasonable extra on menu items, and add a tip for the delivery person. Then, per our specific instruction, one of those “Door Dashers” leaves our order on the patio table, rings our bell, and rushes off on his or her next mission.

To my surprise, garden centers are likewise considered essential, exempt from lockdown as long as they establish health guideline protocols. On Saturday I called Grandma’s Gardens, purchased a rose of Sharon ‘Hawaii’ shrub (Hibiscus ‘syriacus’) plus a bag of soil, and drove to a designated parking space where an employee loaded my trunk within mere minutes. Yesterday I spent a relaxing midmorning working my plot, exercise and contentment proving the center’s societal value.

It doesn’t look like much right now and the bed certainly needs more tending. Not today, though, as I’m sore from cutting and digging up dense, undesirable roots. Seriously, my shovel wouldn’t cut through. I had to use a landscaper’s blade.

Yeah, it needs cleaned...

Eventually I’ll have converted the quarter-circle space from a tired and overgrown perennial grass bed to a more versatile and easier to mow rectangle. Ultimately this Asian native tops out at five to eight feet high by four to seven feet wide. Its profuse flowers are spectacular, named for the tropical ocean blue, blooming from July to September. Here is an image found online.

Did you know members of the hibiscus family include this and other hardy deciduous ‘althea’ as well as tender hot house flowers? Should I allow my husband to add some tidy vegetable plants this growing season? Or does my solo sweat and effort here justify reserving the space for colorful insect and bird foods? -

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