For some reason my Mom never had lilacs in her garden. I didn’t come across them until I was living in a town in Indiana. We lived in the older part of town where there was an alley that ran behind the houses. One evening, my 8 month pregnant self was standing at the kitchen door as the sky was darkening. Suddenly, A slight breeze brought the most magnificent scent. Across the alley lived a very old lady. She didn’t come out much so I’d never met her. It was her lilac at her back gate. I walked through our yard and through our gate, across the alley, and buried my face in those heavenly flowers. I broke off a sizeable bouquet when here came the lady’s next door neighbor on the way to his trash cans. He says “you know if she catches you there’ll be hell to pay”! I say ” you aren’t going to tell on me?”. He laughed and said no and I scurried back to my house…as fast as being
8 months pregnant lets one scurry. That baby will be 48 in a couple of weeks. Every garden I’ve had since has had lilacs and for most of her birthdays the vase on the dining room is full of lilacs. Probably not this year though. They’re in full bloom right now and she’s in Tennessee on vacation.