Sunday, May 03, 2009

Lily Of The Valley


lily of the valley image from World Of Flowers

My grandmother was a market vendor. She sold in the Chaguanas Market - herbs and spices - chives, thyme, nutmegs, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon; and sweet broom for clothes cupboards. She also made chocolate logs to be used for making hot chocolate drinks. She used cocoa beans, which were washed and sun dried, then crushed to remove the shells, then cloves and cinnamon sticks were added, this was then ground in a hand mill; then shaped into small chocolate logs. She also made and sold sugar cakes (not a cake but a candy made from grated coconuts).
I never called her grandmother, i called her Dee, like most other folks did; but that was not her name. A few other grownups called her Janee, but that too, was not her name.

Lily of the valley;
The memory of my grandmother Dee
Scents my mind.




in response to email questions i've edited to include -- my grandmther's name Veronica; Veronica Mitchell

12 comments:

Devika Jyothi said...

Lovely, Gillena :)
Lily of the valley...have only seen its picture, :)

wishes,
devika

John McDonald said...

beautiful one
john

Unknown said...

So nice haiku.
I remind my grandmother.
She smelled wooden tips.
Her husband was a maker of wood sandal.

sakuo.

Ralf Bröker said...

Excellent picture, very personal verse. The German name of the flower is "Maiglöckchen" (May's litte bell). And the story behind is that every year some people die, 'cause they mistake them for bear's garlic. They really look identical without blossoms.

Best wishes
Ralf

polona said...

what a nice warm haibun.

lilies of the valley should be blooming here any time...

Masago said...

Beautiful

Vidur Jyoti said...

lily blooms-
calling out to her
one by one

new lilies
thinking of her
just smiling

Magyar said...

Gillena, another fine one. _m

HaikuKelly said...

Lily of the Valley smell divine! Too bad they don't last longer. Then again...they make us stop and smell the flowers!

Magyar said...

Gillena, I've been unable to send anything to you... at or on the link provided. My ineptitude, I expect. Sincerly, _m

Gillena Cox said...

Thanks to all of you for stopping by.
Magyar i left some contact info at your blog

much love
gillena

Michelle said...

Thank you so much for your story about your grandmother. Whatever you called her, I'm sure it was with love. I like the photo you included of the Lily of the Valley. All are beautiful - as you are my friend.