Miss.Gardenia

I want to take a moment and recognize the gardenia flower for her amazing form and delectable fragrance... Why is it that picking one of these magnificent blooms and displaying her, in her crisp white gown, can brighten my entire day? Or why does her fragrant aroma stop me in my tracks each and every time I pass her by? Here is the answer to these just asked questions... You see, the gardenia is a magical flower;she has the ability to transcend time and space, to unite and recall a time when those whom have been in her presence before were touched by her grace and beauty... Yes. I'm referring to the flower as a woman, as I'm sure that she is... elegant and flawlessly majestic, bold yet sensitive to the touch... My mom shared with me a lovely story while visiting our home last month. As we walked though our garden, I pointed out the gardenia bush, full of buds, waiting to bloom... She told me that as a child she remembered her parents receiving a box from her grandmother,Mopsie, at the beginning of spring...( where while it was snowing where they lived in Ohio, it certainly was not in California...) This box would arrive just in time for their March 1st wedding anniversary... Painstakingly hand packaged inside the box were individual gardenia blooms from Mopsie's garden. She would wrap each bloom, taking special care not to touch and bruise the petals, and affix a baggy of water to each, for a moist and regenerative trip across the country. Mom say's that Nana would linger over these blooms and inhale their tantalizing aroma... loving each day that they spent together and looking forward to the next box full of pure joy form her mother in sunny California... I love this story... I love you Miss. Gardenia... I love you Momma... I love you and I miss you Nana... I love you and I miss you too Mopsie...