Moving is never easy. Put aside all the hassle and stress and expense and you still have the most traumatic part - leaving behind beloved friends and family. When we arrived here in Indiana I desperately missed my friends that were left behind. I took solace in one of my favorite pastimes, planting.

I immediately went to work on the weed filled planters around the front porch. I chose plants that reminded me of all the loved ones I missed so much. I planted columbine, the state flower of our previous home. I put in stargazers to remind me of Michellyn and Doug. This lily grew abundantly in their front yard and was a reminder of their wedding. The peonies are for Kevin and Tracy, two dear friends who's yard is a mass of peonies each May. The irises are for my grandfather. Many are actually saved from his garden. Sedum is for Kathy and all the hard work at the preschool. We planted sedum to welcome the children back each fall. Siberian irises remind me of my childhood church. They surrounded the olive trees where we used to play. I could go on and on.

Now is my favorite time of year. I can steal a few moments on the front porch swing and watch the bees feast on the nectar. I can see what is blooming and take time to remember loved ones and places. I know that no matter how much time and space is between us, that each spring this garden will bring me instantly back to those I hold dear.