We got up early to meet Fr. Enger by her garden at 8:00. Today was the day the big truck came to take away everyone’s garden clippings and refuse.
There was a line of people with full wheelbarrows behind the truck when we arrived. Everyone turned out to clean their gardens and bring their bags and barrows of stuff to the truck.
When we walked into the heart of the garden plots to Erika’s #41, she had about a dozen large refuse bags filled and ready to go. John started taking them to the truck while Erika and I kept pruning, deadheading, and cleaning out more beds. We filled more bags as John emptied them. It was supposed to rain, but there was only a light sprinkle, then it cleared and the sun came out and made everything beautiful.
We worked for 2.5 hours. We picked tomatoes and pulled out the plants. I trimmed Iris and daylilies. This is the last season Erika will have this garden. She is giving up her rent on it after many years, and will join her son’s garden a few plots over.
John dug up an large old beloved rhubarb plant with a small shovel.
The end of the harvest:
This has been a place of peace and refuge. I’m not sure how Erika will walk away from it.
After we got done what needed to be done for now, we walked over to the cemetery across the way and went to visit her husband, Joachin’s grave. It was a beautiful fall day in the cemetery with leaves fluttering down. It was nice to spend some time with Erika.
Remember John and Joachim were mission companions many years ago.
Our Frankfurt Germany Mission 