Skip to main content
Written and Photographed By George Hanstein

I grew up in New Jersey. There is a reason that New Jersey is called the Garden State. The soil is rich, and the environment is not very harsh compared to the Adirondacks. As an example, my dad used to throw a few tomato seeds in a little patch of dirt in the side yard of our house. With very little care we would end up with beautiful, delicious tomatoes, all summer for tomato sandwiches.

One of my favorite memories of that little house was the spring blooming of the lilac bush. It sat just outside one of the living room windows. Every Spring, right around Mother's Day, like clockwork, that huge, beautiful lilac bush would bloom. The scent of the lilacs would fill the house. My Dad would look out the window and declare "It's lilac time again." Then on Mother's Day, my mom would cut a huge bouquet of lilacs from the bush and with me in tow, she would bring them to her mother's grave. It was a ritual that brought my mom comfort. 

About 20 years ago, after my mom passed, I took a tiny cutting from that lilac bush. It was not much more than a twig. I stuck it in a coffee can full of dirt and brought it to my house in The Adirondacks. I stuck it on my deck and forgot about it. It sat there through an entire Adirondack winter. The following spring, I assumed it was dead. I stuck it in the ground anyway, not expecting much. 

Surprisingly, it grew. 

It didn't bloom the first year, but it has thrived. It has bloomed profusely every year since. Of course, it doesn't usually bloom by Mother's Day due to the colder climate here. It is, however, usually in full bloom by June 1st. 

Every year when I smell the beautiful scent of those lilacs in my house, I think of my mom and dad and the little house that I grew up in in New Jersey.

I love Lilac season. 

The little house is gone. My parents are gone, but the scent of lilacs in the spring keeps the memories alive.

This year, I may take a big bouquet of lilacs and drive to Jersey and place them on my parent's graves. 

I think they would like that. 

7.628MBMemory Usage78.5msRequest Duration
Joomla! Version4.4.13
PHP Version8.3.22
Identityguest
Response200
Templateyootheme
Database
Server
mysql
Version
8.0.42
Collation
utf8mb3_unicode_ci
Conn Collation
utf8mb4_0900_ai_ci
$_GET
array:3 [ "catid" => "9" "id" => "727" "view" => "article" ]
$_POST
[]
$_SESSION
array:1 [ "joomla" => "***redacted***" ]
$_COOKIE
[]
$_SERVER
array:58 [ "USER" => "fivetowers" "HOME" => "/home/fivetowers" "SCRIPT_NAME" => "/index.php" ...
session
array:3 [ "counter" => 1 "timer" => array:3 [ "start" => 1750120135 "last" => 1750120135...
registry
array:3 [ "data" => [] "initialized" => false "separator" => "." ]
user
array:18 [ "id" => 0 "name" => null "username" => null "email" => null "password" => "***r...
  • afterLoad (444.73KB) (3.13ms)
  • afterInitialise (1.96MB) (23.9ms)
  • afterRoute (375.48KB) (5.03ms)
  • beforeRenderComponent com_content (50.08KB) (844μs)
  • Before Access::preloadComponents (all components) (43.72KB) (1.72ms)
  • After Access::preloadComponents (all components) (116.7KB) (833μs)
  • Before Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (1.63KB) (11μs)
  • After Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (527.41KB) (1.26ms)
  • Before Access::getAssetRules (id:902 name:com_content.article.727) (18.65KB) (24μs)
  • After Access::getAssetRules (id:902 name:com_content.article.727) (11.38KB) (91μs)
  • afterRenderComponent com_content (24.32KB) (2.11ms)
  • afterDispatch (37.02KB) (1.69ms)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_finder () (1.58MB) (23.65ms)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_finder () (1.96MB) (5.15ms)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_finder () (704B) (5μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_finder () (1.55KB) (207μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_menu () (1.66KB) (201μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_menu () (13.52KB) (679μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_menu () (696B) (4μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_menu () (3.63KB) (98μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (920B) (63μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (295.36KB) (1.36ms)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_custom () (704B) (4μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_custom () (3.15KB) (56μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_menu () (24B) (84μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_menu () (552B) (350μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_menu () (696B) (3μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_menu () (2.76KB) (58μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (920B) (55μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (1.03KB) (146μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_custom () (704B) (3μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_custom () (1.23KB) (58μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_menu () (1.8KB) (77μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_menu () (4.45KB) (414μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_menu () (696B) (4μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_menu () (1.34KB) (69μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_finder () (96B) (8μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_finder () (7.04KB) (473μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_finder () (704B) (4μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_finder () (1.34KB) (72μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (288B) (9μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (912B) (133μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_custom () (704B) (2μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_custom () (1.23KB) (87μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (6.27KB) (166μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (1008B) (134μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_custom () (704B) (3μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_custom () (2.77KB) (44μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (472B) (58μs)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (1008B) (114μs)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_custom () (704B) (2μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_custom () (2.43KB) (42μs)
  • afterRender (211.06KB) (2.69ms)
  • 1 x afterInitialise (1.96MB) (30.44%)
    23.90ms
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_finder () (1.58MB) (30.13%)
    23.65ms
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_finder () (1.96MB) (6.56%)
    5.15ms
    1 x afterRoute (375.48KB) (6.41%)
    5.03ms
    1 x afterLoad (444.73KB) (3.98%)
    3.13ms
    1 x afterRender (211.06KB) (3.43%)
    2.69ms
    1 x afterRenderComponent com_content (24.32KB) (2.69%)
    2.11ms
    1 x Before Access::preloadComponents (all components) (43.72KB) (2.2%)
    1.72ms
    1 x afterDispatch (37.02KB) (2.15%)
    1.69ms
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (295.36KB) (1.73%)
    1.36ms
    1 x After Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (527.41KB) (1.61%)
    1.26ms
    1 x beforeRenderComponent com_content (50.08KB) (1.08%)
    844μs
    1 x After Access::preloadComponents (all components) (116.7KB) (1.06%)
    833μs
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_menu () (13.52KB) (0.87%)
    679μs
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_finder () (7.04KB) (0.6%)
    473μs
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_menu () (4.45KB) (0.53%)
    414μs
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_menu () (552B) (0.45%)
    350μs
    2 x afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (1008B) (0.32%)
    248μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_finder () (1.55KB) (0.26%)
    207μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_menu () (1.66KB) (0.26%)
    201μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (6.27KB) (0.21%)
    166μs
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (1.03KB) (0.19%)
    146μs
    2 x afterRenderModule mod_custom () (1.23KB) (0.18%)
    145μs
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_custom () (912B) (0.17%)
    133μs
    2 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (920B) (0.15%)
    118μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_menu () (3.63KB) (0.12%)
    98μs
    1 x After Access::getAssetRules (id:902 name:com_content.article.727) (11.38KB) (0.12%)
    91μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_menu () (24B) (0.11%)
    84μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_menu () (1.8KB) (0.1%)
    77μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_finder () (1.34KB) (0.09%)
    72μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_menu () (1.34KB) (0.09%)
    69μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (472B) (0.07%)
    58μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_menu () (2.76KB) (0.07%)
    58μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_custom () (3.15KB) (0.07%)
    56μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_custom () (2.77KB) (0.06%)
    44μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_custom () (2.43KB) (0.05%)
    42μs
    1 x Before Access::getAssetRules (id:902 name:com_content.article.727) (18.65KB) (0.03%)
    24μs
    5 x beforeRenderModule mod_custom () (704B) (0.02%)
    14μs
    1 x Before Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (1.63KB) (0.01%)
    11μs
    3 x beforeRenderModule mod_menu () (696B) (0.01%)
    11μs
    2 x beforeRenderModule mod_finder () (704B) (0.01%)
    9μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_custom () (288B) (0.01%)
    9μs
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_finder () (96B) (0.01%)
    8μs
46 statements were executed, 2 of which were duplicates, 44 unique6.66ms781.94KB
  • SELECT @@SESSION.sql_mode;69μs968B/libraries/vendor/joomla/database/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php:334Copy
  • SELECT `data` FROM `jos_session` WHERE `session_id` = ?132μs1008BParams/libraries/vendor/joomla/session/src/Handler/DatabaseHandler.php:261Copy
  • SELECT `session_id` FROM `jos_session` WHERE `session_id` = :session_id LIMIT 158μs1.3KBParams/libraries/src/Session/MetadataManager.php:187Copy
  • INSERT INTO `jos_session` (`session_id`,`guest`,`time`,`userid`,`username`,`client_id`) VALUES (:session_id, :guest, :time, :user_id, :username, :client_id)219μs944BParams/libraries/src/Session/MetadataManager.php:260Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`rules` FROM `jos_viewlevels`92μs976B/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:955Copy
  • SELECT `b`.`id` FROM `jos_usergroups` AS `a` LEFT JOIN `jos_usergroups` AS `b` ON `b`.`lft` <= `a`.`lft` AND `b`.`rgt` >= `a`.`rgt` WHERE `a`.`id` = :guest153μs1.33KBParams/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:868Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_k2" AND e.type = "component"125μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_virtuemart" AND e.type = "component"66μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_easyblog" AND e.type = "component"69μs1.13KB/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_jomclassifieds" AND e.type = "component"59μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_hikashop" AND e.type = "component"60μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_rseventspro" AND e.type = "component"52μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_zoo" AND e.type = "component"94μs536B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_jticketing" AND e.type = "component"67μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_icagenda" AND e.type = "component"58μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_eventbooking" AND e.type = "component"67μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_eshop" AND e.type = "component"59μs1.76KB/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_rsblog" AND e.type = "component"56μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_mijovideos" AND e.type = "component"52μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_opencart" AND e.type = "component"55μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_jcart" AND e.type = "component"50μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_djclassifieds" AND e.type = "component"50μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_j2store" AND e.type = "component"51μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_phocacart" AND e.type = "component"61μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_jshopping" AND e.type = "component"51μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_igallery" AND e.type = "component"50μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SELECT e.enabled FROM jos_extensions AS e WHERE e.element = "com_dpcalendar" AND e.type = "component"68μs520B/administrator/components/com_tagz/helpers/tagz.php:890Copy
  • SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM `jos_tagz_config`472μs1.3KB/libraries/vendor/joomla/database/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php:625Copy
  • SELECT * FROM `jos_tagz_config` WHERE `name` = 'config'80μs592B/libraries/src/Table/Table.php:755Copy
  • SELECT id,template FROM jos_template_styles WHERE client_id=0 AND home=1133μs592B/administrator/components/com_widgetkit/widgetkit.php:28Copy
  • SELECT custom_data FROM jos_extensions WHERE element = 'yooessentials' AND folder = 'system'99μs536B/plugins/system/yooessentials/helper.php:153Copy
  • SELECT custom_data FROM jos_extensions WHERE element = 'yooessentials' AND folder = 'system' LIMIT 186μs536B/plugins/system/yooessentials/modules/platform-joomla/src/Database.php:52Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`name`,`rules`,`parent_id` FROM `jos_assets` WHERE `name` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2,:preparedArray3,:preparedArray4,:preparedArray5,:preparedArray6,:preparedArray7,:preparedArray8,:preparedArray9,:preparedArray10,:preparedArray11,:preparedArray12,:preparedArray13,:preparedArray14,:preparedArray15,:preparedArray16,:preparedArray17,:preparedArray18,:preparedArray19,:preparedArray20,:preparedArray21,:preparedArray22,:preparedArray23,:preparedArray24,:preparedArray25,:preparedArray26,:preparedArray27,:preparedArray28,:preparedArray29,:preparedArray30,:preparedArray31,:preparedArray32,:preparedArray33,:preparedArray34,:preparedArray35,:preparedArray36,:preparedArray37,:preparedArray38,:preparedArray39,:preparedArray40,:preparedArray41)461μs9.94KBParams/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:357Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`name`,`rules`,`parent_id` FROM `jos_assets` WHERE `name` LIKE :asset OR `name` = :extension OR `parent_id` = 0543μs49.48KBParams/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:301Copy
  • SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM `jos_content`576μs1.77KB/libraries/vendor/joomla/database/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php:625Copy
  • UPDATE `jos_content` SET `hits` = (`hits` + 1) WHERE `id` = '727'219μs48B/libraries/src/Table/Table.php:1325Copy
  • SELECT `params` FROM `jos_tagz` WHERE `component_id` = 119 AND `component_type` = "menu"258μs472B/plugins/system/tagz/tagz.php:650Copy
  • SELECT `params` FROM `jos_tagz` WHERE `component_id` = 727 AND `component_type` = "content"116μs520B/plugins/system/tagz/tagz.php:650Copy
  • SELECT `name`,`element` FROM `jos_extensions` WHERE `type` = 'plugin' AND `folder` = 'finder' AND `enabled` = 1156μs592B/administrator/components/com_finder/src/Helper/LanguageHelper.php:135Copy
  • SELECT `title` FROM `jos_finder_taxonomy` WHERE `parent_id` = 1 AND `state` = 1 AND `access` IN (1,5)136μs584B/administrator/components/com_finder/src/Indexer/Taxonomy.php:314Copy
  • SELECT custom_data FROM jos_extensions WHERE element = 'yootheme' AND folder = 'system' LIMIT 1478μs688.52KB/templates/yootheme/packages/platform-joomla/src/Storage.php:30Copy
  • SELECT DISTINCT a.id, a.title, a.name, a.checked_out, a.checked_out_time, a.note, a.state, a.access, a.created_time, a.created_user_id, a.ordering, a.language, a.fieldparams, a.params, a.type, a.default_value, a.context, a.group_id, a.label, a.description, a.required, a.only_use_in_subform,l.title AS language_title, l.image AS language_image,uc.name AS editor,ag.title AS access_level,ua.name AS author_name,g.title AS group_title, g.access as group_access, g.state AS group_state, g.note as group_note FROM jos_fields AS a LEFT JOIN `jos_languages` AS l ON l.lang_code = a.language LEFT JOIN jos_users AS uc ON uc.id=a.checked_out LEFT JOIN jos_viewlevels AS ag ON ag.id = a.access LEFT JOIN jos_users AS ua ON ua.id = a.created_user_id LEFT JOIN jos_fields_groups AS g ON g.id = a.group_id WHERE ( (`a`.`context` = :context AND `a`.`access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2)) AND (`a`.`group_id` = 0 OR `g`.`access` IN (:preparedArray3,:preparedArray4)) AND `a`.`state` = :state) AND (`a`.`group_id` = 0 OR `g`.`state` = :gstate) AND `a`.`only_use_in_subform` = :only_use_in_subform ORDER BY a.ordering ASC302μs4.06KBParams/libraries/src/MVC/Model/BaseDatabaseModel.php:166Copy
  • SELECT `title` FROM `jos_finder_taxonomy` WHERE `parent_id` = 1 AND `state` = 1 AND `access` IN (1,5)117μs584B/administrator/components/com_finder/src/Indexer/Taxonomy.php:314Copy
  • SELECT SUM(CASE WHEN `a`.`next_execution` <= :now THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS due_count,SUM(CASE WHEN `a`.`locked` IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE 1 END) AS locked_count FROM `jos_scheduler_tasks` AS `a` WHERE `a`.`state` = 1142μs1.37KBParams/administrator/components/com_scheduler/src/Model/TasksModel.php:517Copy
  • SELECT `session_id` FROM `jos_session` WHERE `session_id` = ?73μs1KBParams/libraries/vendor/joomla/session/src/Handler/DatabaseHandler.php:291Copy
  • UPDATE `jos_session` SET `data` = ? , `time` = ? WHERE `session_id` = ?172μs592BParams/libraries/vendor/joomla/session/src/Handler/DatabaseHandler.php:318Copy