Buschmann, Laura. Tilli's Garden. In: Ahornblätter. Marburger Beiträge zur Kanada-Forschung. 12. Marburg, 1999 (Schriften der Universitätsbibliothek Marburg; 90).
ISBN 3-8185-0274-9 ISSN 0931-7163 http://archiv.ub.uni-marburg.de/sum/90/sum90-13.html

Laura Buschmann

Tilli’s Garden


[I visualized this children's story as a series of paintings.]
Laura Buschmann, June 1998


"Your tennis shoes are untied, Daniel." The old lady beams as the boy hands her a gladiola stalk.

His mother stands on the terrace. "Why is Daniel giving away our nicest flowers to strange people?"

When Daniel’s father comes home from work, the mother says: "Look Bill, Daniel is giving away flowers from our garden. If he keeps on, our flower beds will look like a cow-meadow."

Daniel’s father changes into a wide shirt and baggy shorts.

He goes out into the garden and sits down on the bench. Daniel is high up in the cherry tree.

The boy puts a cherry into his mouth and spits out the stone, just missing his father.

(What have you been doing all day? Did you play King of the Garden?“ asks Daniel’s father.

Daniel says: "We’re living in Grandma Tilli’s house, right?"
His father answers: "Yes, that’s right."
"This is her garden, isn’t it?"
"Yes, it is."
Daniel says: "I always sit up here. The best cherries are here. I collect them all in the big pocket of my sweater. Want some?"
"Yes, of course. They’re good." Daniel drops one cherry. His father catches it. Then he drops another. His father catches it again.

Daniel’s father asks: "Grandma Tilli loved her flowers. Would she like you giving them away?"

Daniel says: "Everyone who walked by here stopped. Tom’s Ma. Old Mr. Silver. The postman. Granny gave them flowers. I was sitting here. She gave everyone flowers."
"Yes," says his father.
"I sat with Grandma on your bench. I asked her: ‘Grandma, why do you give away so many flowers? You won’t have any left for yourself!’"
"Um-hmm," says his father.
"She told me: ‘People who get pleasure from my flowers can take that pleasure home.’ Do you want some more cherries, Daddy?"
"Yes, I’d love to," answers his father.

Laura Buschmann, Berliner Straße 2, 35039 Marburg