what the lilies sing to me...

White coral bells, upon a slender stalk

Lilies of the valley deck my garden walk.

Oh how I wish that I could hear them sing,

That will happen only when the fairies sing!

My favorite plants are the lilies of the valley.  I took a small patch about 10 years ago from Linda's garden and now have it everywhere.  It is my favorite of all flowers for one little reason--it was the first flower I ever received from a man. 

I was 4 years old.  My mom had driven my brother and I to Dad's company to pick him up (back then, people only had one car and if your mom could drive and had to do errands, she drove Dad to work).

When Dad got in the car, he handed my mom a big plant, turned around and handed me a wee potted plant with little white flowers.  "These flowers are for you," he told me.

 "For me?"  I was surprised. 

"For you." he replied firmly. 

This is one of the most vivid memories of my pre-school childhood.  I was awe-struck at the gift and the responsibility of having a real live plant.  As we drove home, I held it gently, carefully inspected the thick leaves and tiny flowers which seem to perfectly fit my little hands.  When we arrived home, my father and I planted the flower in the back yard of our track house.  A lot of plants could not grow well there because the clay soil was so awful.  But each spring, I looked for "my" flowers and was always surprised --and comforted--when the lilies appeared.  It was like getting my gift all over again.

In May, the lilies of the valley always bloom and when they do, it is almost like having my father near again.