Albert and Darling

I hope you don’t mind, but today is not about our aviary patrons. It’s about a brother and a sister. Let’s meet them, shall we?

Here they are.

They started off as two wee little seeds planted in a plastic cup by Luke at preschool. Oh, yes- those kind. We all know, the likely-hood of those seeds growing into anything but a soggy mess (due to zealous watering) is pretty slim. But somehow, Albert and Darling made it past that initial stage and into the actual ground.

We watered, monitored, watered again, checked on them, let God water them, let God grow them and waited some more wondering if we would ever get anything beyond those first few leaves.

Albert took off like a shot! Oh my! We were always surprised at his growth whenever we checked on him. He was tall, he was handsome and he went out for track where pole vaulting was his favorite event.

One night a strong wind blew through town and besides re-arranging everyone’s lawn furniture and causing a general ruckus, it also knocked the wind out of Albert. We found him laying in the bushes, not uprooted, but still with a neck injury. So Bill made a splint from a fence post, propped him back up and we waited to see how Albert would recover.

Well, Albert is quite tenacious. What was thought to be an career ending injury, straightened back up and on he grew!

Meanwhile, little Darling was never much of a sprout. She just didn’t grow. If Albert and Darling are twins (paternal, of course) then I’d say Albert got the lion’s share. We watered, watched and waited on her just as much as Albert and on she grew, but at her own pace. We were never negligent of her, but when Albert was such a show-off, we sort of forgot about Darling.

Then, lo and behold, one day while picking tomatoes, Audrey said there were two sunflowers. I rushed out and there was Darling, peeking from behind one of Albert’s gigantic paws. She was so pretty and quite shy. With her permission, we were able to capture her fleeting beauty.

Overshadowing her was her big, hulk of a brother. That old neck injury had played it’s hand again and there stood Albert drooped over. Since his glory days have long gone, he’s resorted to gloom and despair and is now an emotional eater. Darling just waits for her glimpses of the sun as the breeze attempt to lift brother’s shade for her.

I saw her the other day and she was fading fast. She always was a delicate thing and the onset of heat had “done her in” as she quoted a line from her favorite musical character, Eliza Doolittle. Perhaps, if I get a chance, I will see if she is available for one more autograph. I have no doubt there is more to be heard from her brother. He may yet have another moment in the sun.