Shanna’s Bush

Our beloved daughter Shanna passed away six years ago today after a long and valiant fight against breast cancer.

When they learned of our loss, the O’Donnells, our across-the-street neighbors, gave us a small saucer magnolia plant in her memory.  The picture above is what Shanna’s bush looked like at this time last year.

As I mentioned  last August, when we returned home from Michigan last summer, the drought had almost killed many of the plants in our yard, and we thought the little plant was done for.  It had already dropped all but two or three of its leaves, but after several weeks of daily watering it came back – first with blooms and then with leaves.

Since it bloomed so profusely – and out of season – last fall, we didn’t expect it to bloom this year, but yesterday, a single bloom opened on Shanna’s bush, and it is beautiful.

Bill O’Donnell left this life in January.  I didn’t know him well, but can say that he was truly a kind and gentle person.  When I saw that bloom, it made me think of Shanna and of Bill.

We have two other saucer magnolias in the yard, both older and larger.  They also bloomed last fall and neither of them is blooming.  The oldest one has a couple of buds that should open by next week, but the other one doesn’t show any sign of blooming again this spring.