The Poplar Tree
My earliest and sweetest memories begin with my Grandma. I couldn't wait to get off the bus, because I knew that's when I got to see Granny. Every day, I would get sent off to the bus by her, and welcomed right back home once I got off. I would plow into her stomach, nuzzle my face into her, and know I was safe. The bus stop was the house right next to mine, so she didn't really need to be there for me, but she was. This was always her constant theme while I was growing up.
Since my mom worked late, my Granny was normally the one doing the cooking. Most things she cooked I categorized as "old people food," such as collard greens, shepherds pie, meatloaf, and cornbread (not the sweet kind). But the one thing I couldn't get enough of was her chili. It was more like a soup since she would grind up the beans, given that my mom didn't like beans, but it was enough to last us two weeks in the winter. I would eat that recipe every night, until it ran out, and then would proceed to beg for more.
I didn't like her desserts most of the time either. It was mainly pecan pie, banana pudding, or peach cobbler. But once again, there was one star of the show--chocolate pie. My granny would tell my mom and I that she would be making that pie for Thanksgiving, and we would count down the days all of November.
I know that I said all of these foods and sweets were "old people food," but now I am older. As I had grown older and learned to like these foods (except meatloaf), she had also grown older. However, as my tastebuds grew, hers began to shrink.
This wasn't the only change that began happening once I turned 18. She soon began to fall more often, sleep more often, and forget more often. These changes started out small, but soon began to be very real problems. It's funny how the one person you could always depend on to take care of you, turns out to later need you to do the same for them.
My granny planted a poplar tree in our front yard when I was five. We would go out each week and measure how tall it was growing compared to me. She told me that in about 15 years the tree would begin to bloom flowers. I had the upper hand on the tree until I was about 15. The tree is still growing with each visit home, much taller than me.
My granny died February 14, 2022. The tree saw its first blooms this week.
Cheylan this is beautiful. Your granny sounds so lovely and I'm so glad that a piece of her is always there in that tree!
ReplyDeleteI relate to this just as much as I loved it. I, too, have such fond memories of my grandmother. I think a really difficult part about growing up is that we have to trade these vibrant memories for the sad reality of our loved ones growing old. I owe my love of thrifting and finding oddities to my grandmother. I remember being so excited to visit her in Florida. I would set my bags down, hop in the passenger seat of her car, and we would spend the day looking for yard sales.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely that you have the poplar tree to remind you of the love your granny gave you. Her planting it was a beautiful way to commemorate and immortalize the bond you both shared. Thank you for letting us see a piece of your heart!