My Mickey Mantle

My almost fifteen year old potting bench is now sitting in my one day old greenhouse. Can you see me grinning from ear to ear? I TOLD you I was excited. Actually, three more window panels go in today, but it's ready to use.

Five small pots of tiny Red Lace Leaf Japanese Maple trees go in today. (I have to write that down to even remember the name.) No ordinary Maple trees here! Anyway, my specimen tree out front, from the yard of a now deceased neighbor from Steve's childhood, is the glory of my front yard. At close to 7' tall and quite lush, I must prune and shape it every Spring. It also rarely produces seeds, so this is a wonder to be made use of. I want my gardener friends to have one of these glorious trees also, and now that's possible. Oh, Dad, you would be so proud and happy to visit here right now to help me set this up. I sure could use your wisdom, but I'll be fine.

I feel like a five year old. I keep going to the window to look out and see that my playhouse, I mean, my greenhouse is still really there. Do you understand this? I'm like a man whose childhood dream was to get a baseball signed by Mickey Mantle, then sees it happen at age 60. Life might be happy and satisfying, but the surprise joys of youth are certainly not expected, or even hoped for at this age. This is an unexpected crocus in the winter of my life. Not the cold, dreary, fading winter. The crisp, bright, and glorious winter!

Okay, fine. I'll calm down. I'll have a glorious year with my greenhouse, maybe two or three. It's good to have little things to plan and dream of doing in it. My days can be richer with this outward focus. Maybe my children with their usual "I-don't-want-to-be-outside-there-are-BUGS-out-there" attitude will find some pleasure in it too. If not, they can watch me be a kid again.

Thank you Steve. It was not easy to construct, and yes, at 62, it was quite a tedious chore for you, but you did it for me. And it was your own idea. That means more than anything.