A Touching Tribute

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Fall is my favorite time of year, especially for the colors:

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This morning my sister's family went with me to West Fork, Ark.  The Master Gardeners dedicated a statue at the Public Library there to my husband, John, and to another volunteer, Paul Libor; both had given long hours of work to the Library.  John spent many volunteer hours there helping them put in their beautiful landscaping.  

The statue is of an open book, with a poem about flowers printed on it.  The poem is called
 "Gossip in the Garden:"

Good Morning Glory,
What’s the Four O-clock news?
Johnny-jump-up lost his shoes.
Black eyed Susan has her eye on you!
And the Tulips want a kiss or two.
Iris just wants Rose to know,
Sweet William is her favourite beau.
Busy Lizzie took her Butcher’s broom
and chased the Cattails round the room.
Poor Weeping Willow isn’t feeling well,
and Hollyhocked her Chimney Bell.
Yesterday Daisy cut off Aaron’s Beard
Then whispered “Forget-me-not” in Elephant’s Ear.
Today a Texas Ranger knocked at my door,
Creeping Jenny found a Naked Lady lying on the floor.
Tomorrow who knows that gossip there’ll be,
The flowers are from such a large family.
Let’s talk again, soon. Good Day Lily.

 The statue is set in the front of the Library, in one of their rain gardens.

 The statue is lighted and has stepping stones leading to it. The following photos show some of the other landscape plants, including cannas, azaleas, bittersweet, Angels' Trumpets, beautyberry, and other perennials.

Jane Bryant of the Master Gardeners spoke of the two men and what they had meant to her and to the library.

About 30 people attended; a good showing for such a small town.

I thanked them for their tribute to my husband.  He would have been very pleased and honored.

My sister and I admiring the statue.

Afterwards there was a lovely reception in the Library Hall building next door.  It was formerly a church and is being redone into a historical museum.

I only wish John could have been there.  He would have loved it.

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