The morning sun was shining brightly. The sky was filled with blue, and the grass was covered with dew.
Grandmother stepped out onto the deck to enjoy her cup of breakfast tea. “Oh me, oh my, and oh my goodness!” she said out loud to herself and also to Grandpa Doug who was right behind her. “Have you ever seen a day as beautiful as this? I think it just might be a perfect day. I don’t see any way that this day could get any better!”
“Times two!” pronounced Grandpa. “I must indeed agree with your decree that this day has everything a day needs in order to be considered absolutely perfect! Why, it’s as pretty as a picture and as perfect as a peach.....as sweet as a song, and as lucious as a lollipop!”
The two oldsters were about halfway to the bottom of their teacups when the phone rang. Grandmother answered the call, and these were the words that Grandpa could hear from her part of the conversation:
“Hello.....oh yes, we’re fine.....and how is everyone there?.....no, we’re not busy.....yes, we’ll be here.....that would be wonderful.....we’ll see you soon, then.....okay, goodbye!”
Grandpa Doug waited patiently to be filled in on the parts of the phone conversation that he hadn’t been able to hear. “Well?” he said finally, with a question mark in his voice.
“That was Sarah saying that she and Riley would be over soon with Carter and Joseph. She said those little grandkids were really excited to be coming to visit Grandmother’s garden. Oh me, oh my, and oh my goodness, Sarah must have been reading my thoughts, because now she has found a way to make this day even better--now, it really will be perfect!”
“Times two!” laughed Grandpa Doug, who immediately rose from his chair and set about pulling weeds from the flower bed and sweeping leaves from the walkway.
Soon, the big white car pulled into the driveway and two happy little boys hopped out onto the lawn.
“Hello, hello,” sang Grandmother in a voice that beamed as warmly as the morning sun. “How are my two little garden helpers today?” She led the parade of visitors up toward the house and along the garden path, which was bordered on either side by tall stalks topped with brilliant blooms of brightly colored zinnias.
Taking a small pair of garden snips from her apron, she began cutting a bouquet of flowers as everyone walked along, the two toddlers calling out the colors of the blossoms for their grandmother to cut.
By the time they all arrived at the house, she had gathered a big handful of flowers.
“I’ll put these into a vase of water for your mother while you two cool off,” she said to the boys.
After a snack of juice and cookies, the two youngsters were eager to head back outdoors and explore further in Grandmother’s garden.
“Those don’t look like real animals to me,” Carter said as he wandered along the garden path again and pointed to an area off to the side.
“Oh me, oh my, and oh my goodness!” laughed Grandmother. “You’re absolutely correct. Those are just little garden ornaments and decorations. They’re statues of some of my favorite garden friends--little frogs and bunnies. They’re not real live animals, but they are real friends to me,” she added.
“Did they grow there?” wondered the little boy.
“No,” smiled Grandmother. “They don’t grow, but I still love to have them in my garden so I can take care of them.”
“What’s your very favorite thing to grow in your garden, Grandmother?” Carter asked.
“No question about it, the very best thing that could ever grow in this garden is little boys!” laughed Grandmother.
By now, Riley and Sarah and Grandpa Doug had joined the rest of the family, strolling along the garden path on their way to the big white car that would take the visitors back home.
“What are those?” Carter’s questions continued as he pointed toward two curved pieces of metal lying on the ground.
“Those are horseshoes,” said Grandpa Doug.
“Where’s the horse?” asked Carter.
“Oh, we don’t have a horse,” laughed Grandpa. “We just keep the horseshoes around because they’re supposed to bring good luck.”
“Well, they didn’t bring good luck to the horse if he lost his shoes,” Carter reasoned.
Grandpa Doug and Grandmother laughed as they helped the family load into the big white car.
“What a perfect day!” Grandmother said, as the car disappeared down the road.
“Times two!” declared Grandpa Doug.
