"THE ART OF ARRANGING FLOWERS" by Lynne Branard - A "BEACH SAND IN MY PANT CUFFS" CHAPTER by ME: ELIZABETH ANN SHERMAN-TAYLOR

APRIL 2016
     My sister, Kathryn Lewis Sherman-Illsley, was moving to a smaller place. We were going through her books, she was choosing what to keep, what to donate.
     THE ART OF ARRANGING FLOWERS by LYNNE BRANARD (Lynne Hinton) cover artwork was inviting. I read the synopsis, I wanted to read it. I asked my sister if I could borrow it, she said yes, I brought it home.
     It was an absolutely lovely read. 
     My sister and I talked about it on the telephone, she asked me, did I like the book? I said, "Yes, and it was interesting to me because of Auntie Barbara having a flower shop when we were growing up." I am adding now, and Uncle Joe. The WALKER GARDEN SHOP in the old barn, South Sea Avenue, West Yarmouth, Cape Cod, MA. Kathryn reminded me, "Mom worked there, too." Family children (us Walker and Sherman cousins, paternal side) and friends children floated in and out and around the shop during the days it was nice to be outside. The main house residence was right next door, so we could hang out there, also. The beach was always near by, the "public" Walker beach, we could along the beach fronts to and from Englewood Beach at low tide, those days, Sea Gull Beach is off South Sea Avenue. The WALKER GARDEN SHOP in the old barn, Auntie Barbara and Uncle Joe Walker, gave my husband and I our wedding flower arrangements as our wedding gift, October 22, 1977.
     The WALKER GARDEN SHOP has long been out of business. I had often heard, like the flower shop in in the story THE ART OF ARRANGING FLOWERS, there was never much of a profit margin. Eventually the shop in the old barn, the house, and property were sold. Nowadays, I don't give it much thought driving by to Sea Gull Beach. My Walker cousins except one are scattered, East and one West coast, USA. I haven't been back to South Sea Avenue in a while. My sister's and my family home on South Sea Avenue is rented to family friends now. 
     Present day Cape Cod, MA is very different from the Cape Cod, MA where I grew up. 
     Only memories remain of my growing up days there. 
     My sister said, "Yes, Please", she would like the book THE ART OF ARRANGING FLOWERS returned to her, it's a keeper,
for now.
     I do not disagree.

UPDATE: My sister was cleaning out, again, without me, this time. She donated the book to the library. I said, "Oh no! I thought I told you I would take the book if you wanted to donate it!" "Oh! I'll go to the library and if it is still in the donation bin, I'll bring it back to give to you." She was able to rescue it. I got it back when I was cleaning out her place after she moved to hospice.
     December 2016: R.I. P., Sis.  
     June 2017: Love you. Miss you.  

"THE ART OF ARRANGING FLOWERS"
   by Lynne Branard 
A "BEACH SAND IN MY PANT CUFFS" Chapter
   by ME: Elizabeth Ann Sherman-Taylor