Chinese Version
05-16-2021, Sunday
Today, a garden recital, planned by my daughter and her friends successfully took place in Rachel and Carey’s back yard!
The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted for more than a year now, so conventional social gatherings have also stopped for more than a year.
In the middle of May, the weather is getting warmer but not hot, and the school spring semester will soon be finished, well-respected Professor W commented about the more than 2-hour long gathering celebrating his retirement as “the most pleasant surprise” this year. These words, the time, and the weather stirred a longing for a gathering among my daughter’s friends, including the retired professors. Everyone was enthusiastic for a recital. Professor A prepared an opening speech for the recital, Professor W will bring his own sound system and saxophone to play, Grace and Shirah practiced together for a piano and vocal piece.
Due to COVID-19, the originally planned indoor recital moved outdoors, in Rachel and Carey’s backyard, and it is called “A Garden Recital”. Rachel invested lots of time and resources on this garden recital by planting many flowers in their backyard. My daughter bought a big tent, as the weather forecast predicted rain on Sunday afternoon. Rachel prepared cheese, fruits salad, and baked cakes ahead of time. She also bought a few 2-Tier or 3-tier cake stand fruit plates.
At noon on Sunday, Alex, Carey and I set up the tent in Rachel and Carey’s backyard. Their four children brought the food, drink, and utensils to the garden and set up the chairs too. Grace and Lou brought their electronic piano from home. Shirah brought home-made self wrapped sweets too. A few of us were busy working from noon to 2:00 pm to stage the backyard for a garden recital of sixteen attendants. This preparation experience helped me realize that the hostess who is hosting a family garden recital is indeed a warm-hearted capable organizer. Thanks Rachel!
The early summer family garden recital was very successful. Professor A’s opening speech was focused on his research area, Grace played the piano, Shirah sang a few Italian and German opera songs, some with Grace playing piano, some just by herself. Rachel and Carey’s twin played the instruments that they will be playing in their school concerts soon. Professor W. brought his own sound system and played a few pieces of music on his saxophone. After the garden recital, we all enjoyed the delicious food prepared by Rachel, chatted about little episodes with keeping social distance during this pandemic, and little stories of family members.
Today, Rachel showed me the new additions to her garden, I learned that a white flower is called bleeding heart and wondered why a white flower got such a blood name. After the recital, Martha and I enjoyed the beautiful flowers in the garden and she pointed to the bleeding heart and commented: “The shape of this flower is like a heart, a small drop of red from the heart shaped flower, so it looks like the heart is bleeding.”
Little Episodes
At the opening of the garden recital, Professor A gave a speech. Rachel and Carey’s children were sitting outside the tent. Here under the tent sat: Maratha, Professor W and his wife, Lou, Alex, my daughter, Grace, Shirah, Carey, Justin, and Rachel.
The chairs in the garden recital:
The food prepared by Rachel:
Rachel was chatting (from left to right):
Shirah, Grace, Rachel, Professor A., Lou, Martha, Professor W. and his wife:
Alex, Rachel, and Lou:
Shirah, Grace, Rachel, and Lou:
Pretty Shirah and Grace with Lou:
Two days later, I found the bleeding heart flower described by Martha:
