Poppies for Dad

Several years ago I bought a brilliant scarlet poppy plant at the Farmers' Market and planted it in a spot reserved for flowers in the veggie garden. I never knew the variety but it reminded me of the little "Buddy Poppies" that the Veterans of Foreign Wars sell in honor and remembrance of all veterans. The following year I decided to start transferring all my flowers out of the veggie garden and carefully transplanted this little poppy to another spot. Sad to say, it didn't survive the move. But in the unpredictable manner of plants, the following year there were several volunteer poppies scattered around the spot where I'd planted the original. This year there are about ten poppy plants growing freeform among the veggies. Now I'm just going to let them come up where they please, bright red bursts of color among the lettuce, the garlic, or whatever.



I love the poppies for their color, their simple shape, the fact that they bloom only briefly and then are gone for another year. But I also love the poppies because of the connection to veterans of foreign wars, and one veteran in particular, my Dad. Dad served in Guam in World War II. He passed away 5 years ago today. So all those poppies blooming today in my garden are a fitting reminder and tribute to him.


Harry Z. Sennott
12 January 1925 - 26 May 2005