Last week, we visited a little about life in the canyons at lma at this time of year, and that reminded me of the wonderful conversation Mrs. Hilda Sparks of lma and I had a few days before while sharing some memories of our younger years.

She was recalling when she was the young bride of Rex Sparks, and they were  living in trailer house on the plains a few miles from the canyons. She said that the wind had been blowing nonstop for all too long, and she was more than a little tense. When Rex came in for lunch one day and saw that she was just about at the end of the rope, he suggested that they go to visit "Mother" Moncus that afternoon.

Hilda recounted what a major pleasure that was and how she felt when they dropped off the hill into those canyons. They were out of the wind and blowing dust immediately and, could breathe easily as well as walk without danger of being blown away.

She said she could hardly believe her eyes when they entered Grandmother's yard and saw all the  blooming flowers, the beautiful garden, and the house with the swings on the front porch.

Of course, Grandmother welcomed them and probably took them back to the spring  for a cool drink for a chance to stand in the shade so they could visit comfortably. Hilda mentioned that the tension caused by that constant attack of the wind faded at once and she felt that she was in another world.

As she talked, I realized one more time just how much I had taken for granted in those long ago years. I guess I just thought that all people in the area had the beautiful flowers and gardens without having to be tossed around by the wind every time they went outside. Of course, I knew the wind and dirt blew when we were "on top," but I knew we'd be away from all that once we went down the hill. I also knew we didn't have a garden or pretty flowers at our little house across the canyon, but I figured that was because we would have had to carry the water much too far for anything other than for the household necessities. I just knew that I could admire all the beautiful flowers I could see when we would go to Grandmother's and that we could have fresh vegetables during the summer months. I never realized what an oasis that wonderful home was.


As Hilda talked, I was picturing those flowers and other plants: honeysuckle, roses, trumpet vine, sweet peas, dahlias, daisies, chrysanthemums, all bordering the gardens on each side of the house and some climbing the rock walls behind the house. I could feel the cool shade at the spring and almost taste that wonderful, clear water. I could even see Grandmother in her sun bonnet as she greeted the guests at the gate and took them for a little tour before settling all into the kitchen to be treated to something she just happened to have on the back of the stove. She would then send them home with a few pints of jelly, a mess or two of fresh vegetables, and a bouquet for their table.


Little did I realize that other people in the area weren't as fortunate as we to be protected from the terrible wind and dirt storms and to be unable to see much of nature's beauty. That now deserted ruins is still a major oasis to this woman from Ima and still holds the beauty it once held when it was such a happy place in my life.