Friday, July 7, 2023
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Carol, you were a tiny woman with a huge personality that gave and gave and loved and loved. You’re now with Little Bit and that Asshole George the Rooster (whom you loved but I didn’t). I’m sure there were more pets that you nurtured well beyond their expected lifespans. Tell Ann I said hi and I still promise I won’t talk politics around her.
We were friends from the moment we met when I talked with you at the Belfast Farmers Market in 2012. Garrett Lojek and I had ripped our tiny yard completely out and I was starting from scratch, including the dirt. I needed your help with selecting plants to accomplish what I envisioned. You often would say, no you can’t buy that one, it’s the only one I have and I’d roll my eyes and ask why it was there just taunting me. There was one that you did allow me the privilege to buy, it was a Joseph Hill azalea. At least once a year you would tell me, I’d better take care of it because it was the only one of its kind. Even just last month we talked about it and you taught Stanley A Stalla about the special series of the Hill plants. I’ll ask for your help to make sure it continues in our garden.
When I came back from visiting Stan that first month and saw how well everything had done, I went back to you and told they were growing so well, I needed to enlarge the planting space. I would tell anyone that would listen, about Carol’s Collectibles (dumb name) and I let you know) and you would tell me that you didn’t do anything special to them. Hah! Tell that to the dead plants from other nurseries!
Then there was my ability to propagate and bring plants back from near death, mostly by beating the crap out of it’s completely root bound roots and sticking it in the dirt and you’d shake your head say, I don’t know how you do it, it shouldn’t be possible. I’d just tell you, I just don’t over think it! At G’s house we have the ICU, which is the swamp, where he puts those dead plants. It has about a 90% survival rate. Now his yard has all your plants and he intends to make a Carol Yee memorial garden, which I’m sure you will have a hand in. Especially when it comes to deadheading LOL
We had good talks, sometimes short sometimes for hours but I always learned something about you. When you needed help with the nursery, I suggested Garrett. You took him under your wing and taught him everything you could. He made you very proud, I know because you told me and him, many times. We both thought of you as his second mother.
I’m glad I was able to spend these last few months talking with you over strange new beers, when it had been so long since that beast of COVID separated us. I’ve included a few pictures of flowers that are blooming now in our garden that G sent me.
I love and will miss you but I know you knew it because we told each other often.
Love your Fairy Godmother
April 15, 1943 - June 19, 2023. June teenth give ‘em hell Carol!
