Grandma's Greenhouse

Growing up some of my best memories were in Grandma's greenhouse. The greenhouse was only two blocks away from my house and I LOVED to spend time there. When March rolled around that meant that my mom and aunt would be busily working to transplant each little seedling into pots. The smell of the earth in the greenhouse is something I will never forget. There are many pictures with my sister, brother, and cousins in the dirt pile with the dirtiest faces...ever! I look back at those moments and am so happy my mom was okay with me getting dirty.

There is one thing that Grandma taught me early in my life...Cherry Coke is the best. I remember on hot days going to the garage in the cooler to get two bottles (glass not plastic) of Coke. On the super special days Grandma would have cherry juice that we would add to the Coke (those were before the days of cans with the cherry already in there). Grandma and I would sit outside the greenhouse on the white cement bench and just talk. We talked about everything from the happenings in the greenhouse, the depression, what it was like for Grandma growing up, and the things happening around our town and with me. Grandma always had an ear that was ready for listening.

I am sad to say that the greenhouse is no longer. Sometimes things happen for a reason. I think that someone upstairs decided Grandma was not able to take care of the greenhouse any longer and brought about a big snowstorm that was more than the roof could handle and it collapsed. That sure was a sad day.

To this day, when I go to Grandma's house I look at the vacant lot where the greenhouse once stood and become sad. That greenhouse made me into the person I am today and I am forever grateful for that.