Title: The Flower Garden
Source: Weekly Writing Challenge #165
The five words: ROUGH, GATE, RAG, HIP, WINE
Word count: 210 words

Photo by Tim Shapcott on Unsplash
It was Tasha’s favorite place in the entire world. A wooden fence that had seen better days encircled the flower garden. There were still places where white paint clung to the rough, weather-worn surface. The broken latch allowed the gate to bang in the wind with the consistency of a deer scarer.
The seasons slowly slipped through time. Greedy yellow finches plucked the coneflowers bare of seeds and the once purple petals faded to rusty brown. The clematis clung to the black iron trellis. Its cloud white petals, blown free by the mornings freezing breeze, lay scattered across the garden.
Whether the scrubby rose bushes held the fence upright, or the fence contained the wild rose was a topic of debate Tasha entertained daily. This morning she carried the rag woven basket Gram had made for her. Full of matured crimson rose hips, Tasha dreamed of the fragrant tea Gram made each fall.
Even in the flower garden, they harvested everything edible. The elderflowers and their berries were fermenting in bottles, and if she behaved, Gram would allow her a sip of the wine. On a blustery winter’s day, one sip would transport her, warmed like blissful summer the memories would unfurl of the most beautiful place on earth.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
A good story.
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Thank you Sadje. It was challenging to use the words without manipulating them. 😊
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You came up with a great story.
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Thank you. 😊
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You’re welcome.
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perfect creation of a blissful time and cherished activity with a loved one. Stories like this makes the reader long for simpler days and rich bounty from earth’s garden
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Thanks Gina, I love harvest time and the aroma of damp fallen leaves. 😊
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it is a beautiful season, i have enjoyed fall in Toronto and the scents do linger in my memory
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Wow, that’s lovely. I have a climbing vine that has wound itself around our fence and it’s gotten to the point I don’t know which one is holding which one up! I dread the day they both go crashing to the ground!
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Thanks Kate. I hope that day is years in the future. Gardens offer such amazing contradictions. 😊 🌹
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