The garden was in its summer finest. The spring blooms fading fast while the summer blooms added color to every corner. The fall growth was coming along nicely. And surrounding Lizza’s homemade bench was the smell of lavender and rosemary. Mint for her tea grew along the fence.

It was a wonderful place to sit for a chat on a warm summer afternoon with a good friend, good tea, and cool fruit. Her friend, Gramma Krackers and Lizza shared stories about their lives since last they met almost two years before.

Anyone walking down the road that ran along side of the garden would have thought Lizza off her rocker but that was nothing new. She told her friend about how they thought her a “cat lady” because she fed the strays and found homes for the spring litters.

In truth, there was only one cat in her home. She had gotten Fat Cat from her sister some ten years before when he was 14 years old. She was sure that he was ment to be the husband she had never had. He screeched at the evil bill collectors, left her gifts on the front porch he felt sure would win her heart and slept in her bed to keep her toes warm.

The neighbors thought her strange as she picked up trash in a town known for its dirty streets and scary folks. She walked her old mutt and found treasures in the rubbish. There was no reason not to make the world better just because her pockets were not lined with gold.

Gramma told Lizza about her travels. She had spent time in so many places. She had family in so far and wide that she never had to pay much to make her way. even here in this garden stood some of her kinfolk.

In St. Paul, there was Minnie. She had lost the tip of her hat in a winter storm but hid it well with a well-placed flower.

In a village outside of Dublin stood a cute family pub. Uncle Patrick was never with out his beer and there was always a story to be told. This visit around, he had told Gramma of a child switched by fairies and replaced by a banshee. Lizza laughed when Gramma told her how the pub folks had poked at the mixed up legends. They had even asked if Ms. Nessy was going to visit from Scotland to change the child back.

Rare was the relative in Iraq but there was one stationed on a base not to far from the border. G.K. got special permission to visit her brave nephew second removed. (On the other hand, was it third?) They shared some fun but mostly she listened to the stories he told of friends he had seen loaded into planes in coffins as he stood guard by the gate leading into the Faith Center.

In Lizza’s garden’s stood four of G.K.’s family. There was Grandpa Ed who took to trying to keep every one in line as the happily ignored him. Young Sam tended the sprouts as they grew. Connolly did his best to stand up but the Irish in him had him face down in the dirt often. Last was G.K.’s own brother Animal, as those who cared for his gentle ways knew him. He was the one who kept the creatures of the garden in as best of line as a Gnome could.

The garden also held three protective gargoyles. They were true friends and all had a smile to offer as long as you treated Lizza well enough.

As Lizza and Gramma Krackers caught up the sun set on another life. It was the way of things and Lizza had known it. It was a wonderful tea and chat. When the neighbors started to wonder why she did not wander inside, they came over to find her smiling as she sat on her bench next to a pretty garden Gnome.

Gramma Kracker’s last visit was when Joe had been hit by a car. A sad day for his mother but together they got past it. If an end must come, may it be with a smile, a handy friend, and memories that make it better.