Out of the frying pan, into the fire!
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Gardens are my passion, and they seem to be the passion of Edenton, as well. There’s a garden tour annually, which we attended last year and I came home drunk on inspiration. There’s a Christmas house tour, and something called The Pilgrimage. We heard about The Pilgrimage even before we’d officially moved here. “Oh, you must come back for The Pilgrimage!” We’ve seen billboards for it. It’s a really big deal in the Albemarle Sound region. I planned to buy tickets and go. At last month’s Women’s Club meeting I learned that all members are expected to volunteer to work. We’d wear period clothing and greet guests in the homes and gardens. I volunteered, of course. I love period clothing! I’ve got it on my calendar for April 12 & 13, and nothing will interfere.
This week the Women’s Club of Edenton phoned and asked if we would open our home and garden for The Pilgrimage. After a moment of choked silence while I digested this request, a flush of excitement overwhelmed me. I said, “Yes, yes, of course!” I’m humbled to be asked, surrounded as we are by beautiful historic homes and magnificent, aged gardens, owned by families who’ve been here for generations. Us? You want us?
I’m honored and excited, of course, but there’s just one problem. We don’t have a garden. We have a plan, and we’re installing it. My gardening books just made it here last week from the mountains to be put in our new library. I study them every day, waiting for spring to arrive.
But, wait no more. A week from today we leave on a trip and return February 11. There are three weeks left in February; four weeks in March, and 11 days in April. Can we do it? Should I apologize, and pull out? What was I thinking? I think I was thinking, “What fun! Let’s get ‘er done! Dave, where are your gardening boots? You’ve got things to do.”
“Me? Honey, I don’t have boots; I don’t garden.” You do now.