Backyards

 
Judy was our neighbor for over 30 years. Our backyards abut one another, so our lives were inextricably entwined, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. There were so many days when Julie and I would be in our kitchen looking out our large breakfast nook window and see Judy buzzing around her yard, straw hat lamp-shading her head, gardening tools in hand. She was as much a reliable part of our everyday life as the sun rising in the morning. Often, we’d come home from work or open our back door on a weekend morning and find a treasure trove of greenery piled on our back stoop. Kale. Beet greens. Flowers. All freshly picked from her garden. In the fall, our backyard raking would be mercifully paused by visits with Judy and Gil at the border of our yards. We’d talk about children, movies, books, food, politics. Any imaginable topic covered with insight, intelligence and humor. She was a cherished neighbor and friend. Our backyard will never be the same.