Walking on the Top of the Fence

So, for the first time in about a week, my little Diva of a cat decided it would be OK to go outside. For the past few weeks, she has turned her nose up at the thick carpet of snow that has greeted her on winter mornings, and reversed her course to pad off to snooze on some soft, warm indoor hidey-hole. She usually loves to go outdoors, being quite the vicious hunter, but wintertime is definitely not her favorite season. First of all, the little critters she likes to feast on are either hibernating or enjoying more tropical climes down south. Yesterday and today, it has warmed up enough so that most of the snow on the roofs, the deck, the sidewalk and even the lawn is melting away, dripping from the eaves, and filling the street drains and puddles. This means that today, as I looked out my kitchen window, I saw her walking like a tightrope expert, across the top of the wooden fence that surrounds our back yard on all sides. This walk symbolizes a conquering, of sorts. She demonstrates that she has once again claimed her rightful position as Queen, and the ceremonial stroll 6 feet above ground is proof of that.

As the winter thaws take hold, the ground should start to soften, and before long, we will be able to once again stick our spades and forks into soil. This is something that every dahlia grower looks forward to with great anticipation - stepping on the sides of our shovels is kind of like our "walk on the fence." It means that we have another chance to conquer by manipulating the earth to bring forth the most amazing flowers on earth - even those among us who are least skilled are able to experience the joy that comes when these beauties start to bloom.

I received a card from Elsie Tittle of Waterville yesterday. Elsie is a charter member of our society, and has had a lot of health problems lately. This has impeded her work in her garden. Elsie loves her flowers, and her dahlias are her favorites. She is skilled and thorough in her work with them, and being hindered in her work has been frustrating for her. She still managed, however, to provide dahlias for a family wedding in September, and everyone who saw them said that they had never seen anything so beautiful. Elsie is eager to get back to work, and I know that everyone of us will do whatever we can to help her with anything she needs. She writes "Dear Friends - Just want to thank all of you for your cards. It really gave me an uplift. I've gotten my catalogs so I can dream of Dahlias. I pray that I'll be able to do it this year. Miss you all - take care of your backs. Love, Elsie" We miss you too, Elsie, and also pray that you will be walking on the top of the fence before too long!