Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver. For Heather..

We took the path
through the autumn trees
of this beautiful Canadian garden...

 to the autumn
Garden of Heather. 

A garden of rest and peacefulness,
of muted colour and quiet beauty.
There I thought of my friend,
Heather.

White heathers
for love and protection.
Wild, white heather
grows over the final resting places of fairies,
the old Celts say.
White Heather..
bring blessings of protection for
Heather, my friend,
who has lately known illness,
I whispered. 

Purple heathers
for beauty and solitude and admiration.
I thought how I admired Heather, this friend of mine,
who is wise and close to the earth and its mysteries.
How she loves the solitude of bush and sea. 

I gathered five small conifer cones
from the ground

and carried them
as I walked.

When I lingered I made small shrines
amongst the  heathers.

Five cone wishes for Heather
of
health and wealth,
of happiness and love
and one for the
abiding peacefulness of personal bliss. 

 The boat of the First Nations people,
looked ready and waiting for the next long journey..
waiting for water
and a willing crew.

I placed my five wishes
in the boat for Heather...
A journeying woman.

Five wishes
on stone steps for the climbing
of life challenges.

Five wishes on a tree
for the healing
of green energy.

Five wishes on rock for
strength and protection..

and five wishes placed for
the gift of
creativity.

Five wishes by a fairy clock
that time will befriend her, 

and five wishes on pathways
still to explore. 

So,
my walk through this
Garden of Heather
magically turned out to be
a gift of remembering
and wishing...

a walk
for a friend,
full of blessings and love.
A gift to you..
Heather,
my friend.
xoxoxoxo