All Roads Lead to Swatragh - Chapter 16

Grace returned from the nursery in Maghera with a trunk load of flowers and herbs. She chose plants that would add color to the front garden and herbs that would add some interesting scent. She was anxious to plant the colorful flowers to brighten up the cottage and to go with the paint that Donnie would bring.

As she drove down the narrow road to the cottage she could spot the yellow cottage from quite a ways away. It was a little brighter than she planned on but the paint was at a good price and did make the place stand out. Now it really needed the color of the flowers that she had purchased. Donnie waved to her as she pulled in the driveway.

“So how's it look, lassie?” he called from up on the ladder.

“Bright and fresh, Donnie,” Grace was smiling at the color with the cottage looking like a flower in full bloom. “Are you ready for some lunch?” she called to Donnie.

“Be down in just a few, lassie. I just want to finish up around this window.”

Grace left the plants in the car and headed for the kitchen to put together some lunch for Donnie. Part of their deal was that she would provide him with lunch while he was painting. She brewed a nice large cup of tea to go with the biscuits and ham that were now part of her regular inventory as she tested Aine's recipes.

Grace sat on the porch with Donnie as he ate and talked about the Swatragh area and his life growing up in the countryside. She refilled his tea, and brought him some cookies she had baked. Donnie could not compliment her enough on the tasty lunch and told her he looked forward to what she had in store for him the rest of the week. He kidded that he might prolong the painting just so he could sample more meals. They both laughed at his humor as he finished up the cookies.

Donnie headed back to his ladder and started to paint the trim a nice bright white while Grace unloaded the flowers and plants from the car. As she looked over the garden as it was, she carefully placed the flowers to bring out the pathway to the front entry and fill in any empty spaces left from flowers that had died during the time the cottage was empty. Since Donnie had completed painting the front of the cottage, Grace could look at it as if it was completely painted even though Donnie needed to finish the sides and back.

A short stone wall divided the road from the gravel entrance and garden. For this Grace bought some Sweetheart Roses. The tag said Cecile Brunner, but she had seen these roses at some of the gardens in Dublin. They would eventually cover the stone wall beautifully with pink blooms. She also bought some for the side of the house were the old climbing rose had to be pulled. It would take some time for them to really develop, but as they aged, they would be stunning.

As for the herbs in the garden Grace bought English Lavender, Feverfew, and Black-Eyed Susan. These would fill in the empty spaces where weeds had wanted to take over.

After placing all the pots around the garden, Grace stepped back and looked at the front of the cottage. It was as if she had transported back in time to when she came to visit as a young girl. She shook off the feeling as quickly as it came. Can't be too nostalgic, she told herself.

Time to get planting. It was late afternoon when Donnie appeared around the front of the cottage looking at Grace covered in dirt from working on planting her purchases. Gardening was not Grace's strong suit, but she knew how to dig a hole and put in a plant with some watering. Grace was a woman on a mission. She wanted to get back to Dublin and get this place on the market for sale.

“Time I'm heading home for today, lassie. Looks like you've got yourself quite a project there,” Donnie chuckled as Grace tried to brush some dirt off of her face.

“I'm doing fine Donnie. A little dirt never hurt anyone,” Grace smiled back.

“The morrow then,” Donnie said a he climbed into his truck and drove away.

Grace finished up the planting and headed inside to shower. She had worked up an appetite for dinner from all the planting and had another of Aine's recipes to try for tonight.