Grandpa's Garden

Mark's Grandfather is 98. His grandmother is 93. They live together in a little house in New Jersey, and grandpa still gardens every summer. We visited yesterday on our way home from Delaware. The garden is going great guns again, and grandpa proudly gave us the tour, and of course, sent us home with some plants: tomatoes, cucumber, basil and parsley. He has always gardened organically, because he just doesn't want to eat chemicals and never has. If the deer eat his crop, ah, he gets annoyed, but he moves on, or waits for next year. Grandma doesn't cook anymore, and they eat out most meals, or make sandwiches. In the summer, however, the bounty is great, and they get their fill of fresh vegetables. Last week, they had fried zucchini flowers and grandpa cooked some green beans for the first time, since grandma really can't use the stove anymore. He had to call his 67 year-old daughter for cooking instructions on how to boil beans. The boys got into a water fight with the hose as grandma and grandpa smiled and peeked around the corner of the garage to watch. "I had the most beautiful day," grandma said as we left. So did we.