Goodbye Wisteria

To say the least, as a lover of plants, I am upset. As a person who, when things get too stressful at work, takes a walk around the lot, to commune with the plants...I am even more upset. But I get ahead of the story.

Last week, we had layoffs. No surprise there. The economy is bad and my station is hurting. I knew it and was basically ready for it. One of the people who got laid off, was our long time gardener. He had worked at the station longer then me and that's saying a lot. His love of the plants in his care could be seen in everything he did. Many a time, we would catch up with each other and chat about whatever plant he was pruning or moving, planting or mulching. I would ask advice and we would shoot the breeze together. Enjoying another day in LA and being alive and there. When there were layoffs, we would see each other and go "you're still here" to each other. This time...there was no one to do that with. My friend, the gardener was gone.
I got to work today and they were working by the front gate. The gate has an overhead trellis with wisteria hanging along it. It is truly beautiful...well, not anymore. When I came out for lunch, the trunk of the plant had been cut out and all that is currently left, is the part that hangs on the trellis. It is, of course dying right before my eyes and will probably be gone, by the time I get to work tomorrow. How incredibly sad.

Since we no longer have a gardener, it was deemed to much trouble to keep.

In honor of a plant that no longer lives at my station, I went into my pictures and found some that I shot last year. To remember that which was and no longer is.

Goodbye Wisteria...I always enjoyed your beauty.

Goodbye Jose...I miss you and your love of the plants.