For nice, as well as for practical.

Many years ago I read a small novel by James A Michener (called, “The Novel”, I think.) In it he spoke of a very practical American Farmer with a Dutch background who only ever did things that had a practical outcome for him. One time a Local Nurseryman tried to sell him 3 big trees that he needed to find homes for, and offered them to Herman at a price well below their real value, but Herman wasn’t buying. Literally! He said something along the lines of, “Why should I buy them?” His wife, not the Nurseryman said, “For nice Herman, for Nice.”

What about you my friend, do you ever do anything, just for nice? My father was a man of the land who took it over from his father and grew his vegetables for very practical reasons. His Sebago potatoes and Queensland Blue pumpkins, for their “keeping” qualities so that he had Pumpkins and potatoes for three quarters of the year, instead of just during the growing season. His Drumhead cabbage because of their tightness and thus good cutting qualities, making them ideal to cut into halves and quarters.

I could go on and on with other vegetables but I think I have made my point of the practicality of what he grew in the veggie garden.

When it came to the Mum’s flower garden, it is true to say that he would get stuck into the weeds and such at the end of winter and turn over beds for her when asked, but flowers were not really his thing.

Except for King Alfred Daffodils. For Dad, they were his, “For nice Plant”. I won’t mention them in more detail here as I have done so elsewhere all ready, but what about you? What, “For Nice” thing will you be remembered for?

Again I am not saying you should stop being practical, but that you find what your, “For nice” thing is, plant or any other object, and do something for others as well as yourself. Over to you: Walter.