Remembrance of Things Past ----- Gloomy Hostas

 These are some of the Hostas in my yard.  We planted them here and I care for and respect them, but in truth I think they are a dreary and sad-looking plant, harking back to a bygone age.
    The sight of Hostas triggers a long-ago memory of most likely the first time I ever saw this plant.  The memory is rather somber and even boring in nature because the hostas grew in my grandmother's garden, a garden long untended by her, and one she viewed, throughout her lifetime with her grandchildren,  only from her chair by the kitchen window.  Her flower garden was on the side of her house and we kids never played in that area the many times we visited when we were little.
    Weather permitting, we were of course allowed, even encouraged,  to play outside and were free to roam all over the considerable acreage, even into the woods behind the barn.  But we stayed away from Nanny's flower garden, out of respect and also because she was always there at the window.  Her garden area held a few shrubs and bushes, and a quite impressive, at the time, peony bush, whose progress she would comment on from her viewpoint.
   But those Hostas---bordering the vague garden edge like mournful sentries.  They never seemed to be in full flower, always looking as if they were either about to bloom or to go into dormancy for the season.  When we visited other relatives, all but a few quite elderly in our eyes, the walkways to their houses invariably  were edged with purple hosta plants.  But not true purple either; they were always too wishy-washy to bloom in true color.
   Thinking about it, these hostas in my yard may well be some of the same plants from Nanny's garden.  The plants alongside my house came from Matt's house on New Turnpike Road, quite possibly transplants from the old homestead.  After Ann's death, we had to dispose of the property and Dave was clearing the side lot of accumulated underbrush when he came upon  hosta plants,  and re-homed them to Valley Falls.  The 3 hostas by our well came from K-Mart when I had to redeem one of their gift card premium offers, and didn't know what else to get.  There are 2 more "accidental" hostas which Dorothy bundled in with a Honeysuckle bush she gave me.  They are on the other side of the house.  Each year, I plan to consolidate those 2 with the ones above, but have not gotten around to it "yet."