A Time to Bloom (Leah's Garden #2)(15)

Lilac laid her hand on Del’s tanned arm. “Maybe you’re the one who needs to go fishing.”

She wagged her head slowly from side to side and heaved a sigh. “Let’s just finish this letter so we can get it in tomorrow’s mail. When I figure this out, you’ll be the first to know.” She sighed again. “I sure wish Mama was here.” She rolled her lips together and tried blinking the tears back.

Lilac drew teardrops on the side of the letter, but the splotch that hit the paper was one of her own.

“Ask if they’ve heard anything about the gambler or that reprobate deacon,” Lark suggested. “I keep thinking we need to get Climie out of that town.”

Del mopped her eyes and blew her nose. “You think Anders might actually move out here one day?”

Lark shook her head. “That won’t happen. They’ll never leave Linksburg.”

Lilac tipped her head. “You know another thing Mama said, ‘Never say never. But watch out if God says never, because that’s real for sure.’” She shrugged. “Let’s get this finished.”

We are so hoping you will decide to visit. We wish you could all come, but then who would mind the store? Forsythia helps out at the general store here once in a while, but Dr. Brownsville is getting busier, and she helps him too. Sofie and Robbie are out here often. Robbie and Buttercup are best friends.

Lilac read aloud what she’d written. “Anything else?”

They are seeking more laborers, so if you know people who are dreaming of heading west, Salton and Lancaster (the town about twenty miles southeast of us) are both growing.

We love you. If you have any drawing or painting materials around the house, I would appreciate you bringing those too if you come.

Love from all of us to all of you.

Lilac, Lark, and Del

Lilac folded the letter, stuck it into one of the envelopes she had made during the winter, and addressed it. “Whoever goes to town first needs to mail this.”

Del watched her younger sister mount Starbright and, with a bucket of worms and fishing pole in hand, jog off to the creek. Maybe she should have gone along.

“I’m getting a glass of buttermilk from the well house. You want some?” Lark asked.

Del nodded and drew a long breath. “Bring the jug. I think I’ll bake some buttermilk biscuits.”

“Let’s go check on the plants before you begin baking. I’ll fill the water barrel.”

“Remember to add a cow pie to the barrel. They can all use fertilizer too.”

Their mother had sworn by using manure tea for her plants and was absolutely convinced that after fish water, manure tea was best. Horse manure worked well too.

Del put on her straw hat, and after draining their cups, the two sisters pulled the wagon out to the flower garden. They took turns pulling the wagon and dipping water for each plant. The cuttings of forsythia, lilacs, bridal wreath, and snowball bushes were well leafed out. The fruit saplings had sprouted branches, as had the sugar maple and other shade trees.

As soon as perspiration ran down their faces, the flies attacked them, as if one had found them and invited friends.

They emptied the last of the barrel and hauled it back to its place by the well house. The creaking song of the windmill reminded them that it needed grease. As the sun sank toward the horizon, the evening breeze sprang up, driving away the flies and blessedly cooling the air in time for supper.

Another day gone.



Morning was only a thin line on the horizon when the sisters left the comfort of their beds to start the day. The dew-laden grass dampened their skirts on the path to the outhouse. They each loaded their arms with split wood to dump in the woodbox by the stove.

“I’d much rather wear my britches than this skirt,” Lark grumbled as she dressed. “It shouldn’t matter what everyone else thinks. Skirts do not add ease to scything hay.”

“Should we yoke up the oxen and start the stack by the barn?” Lilac asked.

“This afternoon, make sure those turned rows are real dry.”

They’d just sat down for breakfast when they heard Jesse’s whistling.

“Perfect timing,” Lark greeted him as he came around the corner of the house.

“Good m-morning, the l-little ones will be out later. Forsythia said she’d b-bring them and get away from all the hammering.” He sat down on the stump seat at the end of the table and smiled up at Del as she set a plate of pancakes before him. “Thank you.”

“I chopped some ham and mixed it in the batter. That’s what the lumps are.”

“Good idea.” He spread butter and poured syrup.

“Let’s have grace.” Del paused in her hustling.

“I will.” Lilac bowed her head. “Thank you, Lord God, for this new day, for our home and life here, for Jesse coming to help us, for this food, for Del, who is such a fine cook, and for your loving care and protection. Amen.”

“How long until they’ll have the upstairs done, do you think?” Lark asked Jesse around bites.

“Should b-be this week, Adam said. Then we have to plaster the walls. But I think they’ll l-leave that for now. Good winter project.” Talkative this morning, he forked a couple more pancakes from the platter.

“I’ll fry more if anyone wants.” Del ate the last of hers. “I made plenty of batter so we can have some cold for break time.”