Nonno's Flower

May 13

We play in the driveway today. Same as usual, riding, running chasing. We stop to notice that grandpa's most impressive flower is about to bloom. The first two years after he planted bulbs all around our yard this one came up with one huge purple beauty. But now we see multiple stalks with at least five buds getting ready to bloom. It seems such a mystery that all winter this patch of ground near our garage door is empty but come spring strong green leaves shoot up and out come these blossoms.

We call grandpa or Nonno, as we call him, and give him a report on his flowers. He tells us about his chickens and what he's planted this week. He puts the cat on the phone and asks if we can hear him purring. Soon we will be in Nonno's back yard looking for tiny wild strawberries and marveling at the grape vines he trains to cover the back of the house each summer.