“So, when are we going to start working on my garden?" you ask.  "Are you sure you're ready?" Aunt Loola asks as she sets her tray down on the table. The line at the buffet was long, and your stomach is growling.  "Yeah, I'm ready. Why wouldn't I be?" you say as you set your […]

"I'm going to church. Do you want to come?" Aunt Loola says over the phone early Sunday morning. You're beginning to expect calls and visits before the sun is up, but you're a little nervous about her invitation.  “I’m not sure that—” “I want you to hear what Preacher has to say. He told me […]

As you drive toward home, you and Aunt Loola continue to talk about Cravis and his strange garden.  “How did you get to know him?" you ask.  “We used to be—” Aunt Loola pauses. It’s rare for her to be at a loss for words. “Cravis and I used to be very close.”  “Really?”  "This […]

You put the car in park in front of an old, dilapidated-looking house. It could be the scene of a blockbuster horror film. There are holes in the roof. Wood rot marks the siding. The door hangs askew. Despite the horrid state of the untenable home, you notice a garden that fills the entire front […]

You dry as Aunt Loola washes the dishes. After a moment, you notice a smile stretch across her face.  “Hey, do you have time to go see a friend of mine?” Loola asks.  “Sure, why not,” you say. You grab your keys and escort Aunt Loola to the car. She directs you toward the interstate, […]

You show Aunt Loola around the house and offer her a seat at the kitchen table. You start a dark pot of coffee brewing and pull out some eggs and a skillet.  “So, are we going to work in the garden today?" you ask as she shuffles into the kitchen. “I am concerned," she says.  […]

Your car pulls up in front of Aunt Loola’s house far earlier than you prefer to be awake. Though you have an urge to lean grumblingly against the horn, she emerges from the font door before you have the car in park.  “Where to?” you say when she gets in the passenger side. She points […]

You arrive at the feed store at ten thirty with a thermos of coffee in hand. You head straight for the gardening section in search of Aunt Loola. She's finishing up with a customer when you arrive. The customer leaves with a cartload of gardening supplies.  “Can I help you?” she says with a wink.  […]

You arrive at Aunt Loola’s house the next morning with a pen and notepad. You’re eager to get instructions. You feel as if you’re finally making progress, as you now know where you have to focus.  You knock on the door, but there is no answer. You knock again and wait. You're about to go […]

You wake with the sun streaming through your window and are at your garden in a few minutes. With transformation on your mind, you wonder where to start.  “I thought I might find you here,” comes a now familiar voice.  “Hey, Aunt Loola,” you say. “What are you doing here?”  "You visited me; I thought […]