HERE IS QUESTION FOR YOU:

What memories do Grape hyacinths make you think of?

These miniature blue flowers take me back to a time when I was no taller than my mom's waistline....she's around 5ft tall.

I REMEMBER holding her hand to cross the street and walking over to our neighbor, Charlene's house, walking along their corner fence, and admiring these magical little blue spires of whimsy, peeking up through the earth.

I REMEMBER thinking the site was like a miniature wonderland filled with tiny blue balloons. And that name! IT HAD GRAPE in it! Were they grapes? No, but that didn't end my fascination.

I REMEMBER walking with mom over to Pam's house listening to them say the names of these blue beauties. "Grape hyacinths" They sound so special...and they are!

I REMEMBER bringing home grape hyacinth bulbs to share with mom from a display we had just taken down at my first horticulture job at Chicago Botanical Garden.

I REMEMBER getting bulbs from my momma Donna's garden, when my husband and I moved to our first home in Mount Ayr.

I REMEMBER getting starts from the bulbs I gave to mom, to plant in our garden at our new home in Davenport.

SO MANY MEMORIES that equal love for family and friends.

I am just as enamored with them today, as I was 40+ years ago.

Not just because they are beautiful, but because they take me back to a simple (to me) time,  Back to innocence, back to all the moms (who took the time to show me their flowers.) Moms who helped shape who I am today.