"Flowers really do intoxicate me.

Robert - 2010 -  Lord, I was HUGE

Robert - 2010 - Playing in the dirt

Where did I get them shorts?

2010 STORY RE-VISITED

What a difference 4 years make.  Hard to believe I was so large back then........



"Can we conceive what humanity would be if it did not know the flowers?" Maurice Maeterlinck

My dears, for far too long the path leading to the rental office at the Linda Villa was a patch of barren soil, devoid of life and colour.  The whole world saw in a tick that there was no life at the Linda Villa, save a hard mean existance, populated by folks who did not care and had no pride in selves.

Murray Kay's dream for the Linda Villa was as moribound as that patch of earth.  The only thing of note were the rocks placed to keep the dead soil contained there.  Mind, the rocks could have been handy missiles to be hurled at windows of the office by tenants who had been sold a horrid place to live as well.  You pick the purpose.

No more!  After much think on, this old geezer did what had to be done.

Getting down and dirty, MOI, with paid help, dug up soil, added plant food, and started placing plants in front of and round office.  Being full of the spirit, MOI did much to bring life back to the area in front of.

Where there was once dearth, now gathers a plethora of God's smile to man.  Plants!

There be Verbena, Pansies, Marigolds and soon to be added stock.  Bags and bangs of brilliant bark set off the majestic Magnolia tree in the middle of the newly planted gadren.  On both sides of, there is more brilliant bark.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance."
William Wordsworth

You, the dear reader, may well feel that this old geezer has gone 'gooey' over a few plants.  You be right.

The Linda Villa is leading by example.  Sponsoring a "Tenant Garden Contest", to be judged by Supervisor Vasquez and Sheriff Durfor on May 8th, the day of the "LINDA DRUG OUT BLOCK PARTY", this old geezer is passionate in belief that what speaks louder than the actions of.

Evil folks who do drugs, cheat benefits and lazy layabout scroungers are no longer welcome at the Linda Villa.  Planting life in the soil tells one and all that a new day has dawned at the Linda Villa.  The evil creatures of the past need to pack and move on.

My dears, there always be the risk that some evil creature will destroy the lovely garden planted.  Why allow a few evil folks rob one of the joy of beauty?  Why allow yobs to dictate how one will live?  What is life lived in fear and in a prison built by fear?

I will go to me grave believing that one must place one's self at risk to fully appreciate the freedoms placed about.

"If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom." Terri Guillemets