Credit

I just called the place I ordered those 200 lilacs from and reported the results of my examination of them last night. They immediately offered either a refund or a credit for those that did not survive. I said I'd take the credit, because I intend to get more next spring. So that is taken care of, as much as I can at present. But it wure would have saved a lot of waste if someone along the line would have taken better care of them. It looked to me as if they were kept in storage too long, or were too long on the way, being shipped.

The 200 lilacs as of 21 July

I ordered and planted what was supposed to be 200 lilacs, as I reported some time ago. But I had my doubts, because the buds of some were clearly live and green, beginning to swell, but most of them looked dead and even moldy. I called the place I ordered them from and reported my concerns. They said they'd replace them if they didn't grow. So today I went down and crawled through the whole patch on my hands and knees, marking + for each one that grew normally from its buds, - for each one that did not grow from the buds, but that sent a new shoot up from the root blow the ground, and 0 for each one that did not grow at all.
I find that 46 grew normally, 64 sent up a shoot from below ground, while the top stayed dead looking, and 94 did not grow at all. That adds up to 204, if I added right, but there were a few extra ones in there. So this is not such great progress. The 64 that grew a new shoot from below ground are now just at ground level or a little more, even if they don't die, while the 46 that grew normally are more like 18 inches to 2 feet tall.
I deposited another $172 in the account a week or so ago and today $100 more, but then I got home and figured it more carefully and found it should have been only $81. But, still, the total is now over $1000. Less than $200 to go before I call the man with the machine to clear the land!
I had not seen the report by Robin, with that picture of her with the lilac spoon I sent her in appreciation for beautifying this blog. She is the other person who has access to it, so she came in directly to thank me and show off her spoon. I hope she uses it, even if it is lilac!
One thing I tell customers at fairs and markets is that I worked for a rare book dealer for 9 years. We had some very old books, and when those books were printed, they put as many pages as could fit on as big a sheet of paper as they knew how to make in those days. The pages were printed in the right place, so if it was folded up right, they would be in the right order, and they were bound as folded sheets without having to cut them. Then, if you took your new copy to a bookbinder to have a cover put on that would match the rest of your library, as used to be the custom, the first thing he'd do would be to trim the edges off even, that would cut the folds. But if you kept it in whatever kind of covers the publisher put it out in, you'd have to take a knife and slit the folds or you couldn't turn the pages. We sometimes got books like that, that nobody had ever cut open, and the collectors would pay extra, but I think the author would feel bad nobody read his book.
Well, that's the way I feel about my spoons. Yes, they might get a stain on them, but I'd rather people use them. Well, it is nearly 1AM, and I better go to bed.

Journey of the Spoon

Dear, dear Terron,
I wanted to let you know that I received your wonderful spoon! What a treat to find it, so thoughtfully packaged and put in the mail.... and to think of you going through all the steps from carving it, to finishing it, to packaging and mailing it all the way from the magical place I imagine you live. And now, it has found a home in my kitchen on Osprey Lane in Ohio, USA... and we could not be more pleased.

My son said last night, as I shared the story of this spoon (and as he ran his hands across its incredibly smooth, smooth surface), "THIS, this, THIS is my favorite spoon ever." (And he meant it).

I've half a mind to frame it in a shadowbox with our lilac photos and hang it in my kitchen, so I will oft have the reminder to tell the lovely story of the lilac labyrinth. I will let you know. I'm sure the spoon will let me know how it wishes to be treasured.

Meanwhile, I am a bit saddened to hear your dilemma. In my experience, you are one of the most (if not THE most) straightforward, honest, REAL people I know and I'm guessing it is a bit unsettling for you to keep this project secret from one who means so much to you. I wish you well as you determine the next step on the journey.

Sending positive energy and so much gratitude for the gift of your lilac spoon!

Hard to get privacy these days

Hi, whoever is reading, if anybody is.
I met at a market recently, a woman who said when the time comes to plant the lilacs she can donate some lilac bushes, starts from the ones in her yard. But I forgot to get her address or any means to contact her, so I hope she reads this and will let me know how to notify her when we are ready for them.
I examined the 200 lilac bushes I planted in a temporary spot and some are definitely growing, but worrisomely many are showing no sign of life yet. I am glad I called them pretty soon after they got here to tell them the buds looked dead on a lot of them.
I put $167 in the account for the labyrinth yesterday from the sale of lilac wood spoons. That brings the balance to $785. And I have sent a lilac spoon to my friend Robin for her help in making this blog beautiful.

That's all I can say for now.