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.