Hydrangea in the garden

Hydrangea is coming out in the garden. There are a few big trees of hydrangea here. They have been planted by my father. As iterated in this blog, he has loved caring for plants and flowers. Most of them in this property were planted and grown by him.

Early in mornings, he often cut the weeds with a sickle of long handle in the garden. Ticking sound caused by sickle hitting the ground came from the garden then. Getting so old as he was those days, I could share what he thought and felt in his life. He could have turned to be 101 years of age next month if he were still alive.

Hydrangea seems to require much humidity in the soil. This rainy season is pretty dry. I should give water from time to time as he used to do. 

When I started my own practice a quarter centuries ago, he was still well and came to the office to help us almost everyday. One of his works was to irrigate the plants and the trees in the garden, even though the land was not large at all. I still feel thankful to him for his help. On the other hand, it could satisfy him a bit. Because he has wanted to work with me for a long time. He has worked at various hospitals and clinics as a house keeper or a clerk. He has dreamed of working with me. He has not told of that too often. But I felt he would work freely as the father of the director. I haven't expected it to come true. But things have made it come true. If that co-work at my office was realization of his dream, I feel content with that. It was one of the very few things I could do for him. Yet, I could not thank him more. I still remember seeing him, through the window at my room upstairs, going slowly across the parking lot to his car dragging his painful legs after he finished his duty at the office.

This hydrangea brings me back those days. Wondering if I could have done more for him while he was alive.