Sunday's Flowers...

Sunday-Flowers

I bought this bouquet of irises today, and it made me remember a true story of when my husband and I were looking for our first home.  It was a Sunday like today and we went to view an old log house nestled up the waterfront of Indian Arm, North Vancouver, BC. When the realtor showed us the house, there was a lovely bouquet on the table, and I remarked at how much I loved flowers. "Those are Sunday's flowers," she responded, and went on to tell me, that without fail, Len went out every Sunday to buy his wife fresh flowers. I was blown away by this show of love and devotion, as both of them were in their late seventies.

Leonard and Barbara Altree were one of the sweetest old couple's I'd ever met. We got the chance to have tea with them a couple times before assuming the house, and they were excited to have us buying it, as we were expecting our first child.  They had one son, but had lost him when he was in his early thirties and there was no other offspring from their marriage.

Ever since seeing that bouquet I held the dream that I too would have flowers once per week at some point in my life. I have had to go fetch them myself for the most part, but the purchase and time is always worth it. I plan to have a standing order one day, so flowers can be delivered to my home, once a week. Not solely because of Len and Barb, but simply because I enjoy the beauty of flowers, and I feel I am worth it.

Until then I am glad to be back in Canada where we can so readily get flowers, either wild ones growing along the road, or from the flower or grocery shops.

There is a touching end to this story. After we took over the house Len died within the year and his wife a couple months later - like so many old couples often do. We found out Len felt he was going to die soon, and he did not want his wife to have the burden of being left alone with a house to take care of or sell. He'd taken care of everything, so she wouldn't have to.

"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love." - Max Muller