Louise's "NEW" Angel Garden

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This is "Louise's Angel Garden" today with her tree trimmed all nicely after growing some more (6/05). You will notice if you've gone to visit her original page, we have so much more room to work with here. . . I've also expanded the area by 'adding' brick around it as well (to what it was before). My dream for this garden is to someday have grass growing around it, to give it that 'park-like' feeling, so that I can just throw a blanket there on the ground and read a 'good book', or just to relax under the shade on a hot day (and believe me, we have plenty of those days); but for now, I will have to settle for just sitting there on my 'bench'. I have finally been able to add a 'pond' underneath my tree with some fish . . . it's not the kind of pond i've dreamed of with 'running water', but it'll do for now. This is a picture of it below. The picture on the right shows the 'fish' up close. . . I'm hoping you can see it okay.

This 'garden' is being created here in our NEW HOME up in the High Desert, In Loving Memory of My Daughter Louise Antoinette...so that her memory will live on FOREVER. If you would like to see what her garden looked like before it was changed, please go visit here Louise's Angel Garden. I had originally created it also for ALL of Louise's "Angel Friends" in Heaven...YOUR ANGELS...each rock had your Angel's names on it (at your request), but with time and the harsh weather they've endured, sadly the majority of them have disappeared. Rather than try to redo these all over again each time they fade, I am no longer taking requests to add your Angel's names to a rock. This saddens me very much to say because I worked so hard to get the rocks I have under this tree (from Laughlin, NV) because they were the only one's that were 'smooth' enough to write on (and this was our 'vacation' place we frequently visited when we had our boat), but it's something that I have to do.

NOTE: Of course now you can see that this tree has grown up from the picture I had a year ago (amazing isn't it?); yes it is a "Weeping Willow". It is growing from the "original" tree me and Louise had planted together in our old home a year BEFORE she went to Heaven. When we moved up here, I wanted so badly to bring the tree with me, but of course it was so impossible to do (the roots were already coming up from the bottom of the tree, it had grown so much), so I brought a few "branches" with me in hopes of trying to regrow it up here, I was that determined. I was so discouraged at first because the change of weather up here can get so FREEZING COLD and at the time we moved, it was just that, FREEZING COLD and all I got was "dead branches" (I wasn't going to give up that easy).
As springtime neared and it began to get hot, I would check my branches every day hoping for some 'sign' of life, all the while talking to them too of course (in order to make 'plants' grow, you must talk to them...bet you didn't know that *smile*). I cried the day I began to see 'new growth' on several of these branches and I cried out for my girls to come see (of course they thought something 'serious' had happened, I was so excited, for sure they thought I had lost it!!), my first thought while I was crying was that Louise knew how much this meant to me, she had not let me down; so this is where the story of this particular tree comes from.
As I see this tree grow (the more I water it, it grows like a weed), It still brings tears to my eyes to know how much I struggled and prayed for it to be here...home where it belongs. As you will notice, I do have plants growing all around the tree as well . . . these are 'mini-roses' (several colors, i.e. white, pink, red, orange and yellow) that I had taken up to Louise at 'her park' and brought back home because they died (of course I have managed to bring those back to life too, but why can't I bring Louise back? So much for wishful thinking *sigh*). I have since added a couple 'carnations' as well.

The Angel Who Tends to My Garden
There's an angel who tends the flowers.
And keeps each leaf in perfect shape.
Oh, this Angel oversees my special garden.
And never lets one iota of love escape.

For this garden grows inside my heart.
An Angel who has watched it from the start.
The flowers bloom each & every day
for the gardener wouldn't have it any other way.

Oh yes, I have a special garden, my friend.
And I know that somewhere at the end,
the Angel who tends to my special garden ...
Will be back in my arms again.

Oh I smell each rose that blooms & think of you.
The Angel who tends to my garden.
You've taken time to make sure
that the water is forever pure.
A bucket filled with tears we endure;
And will time & time again.

This Garden is full of beautiful flowers
always arranged for view by the best.
Oh yes, I know this garden will forever give beauty ...
As long as you are my Angel's honored guest.

~Author~ Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2001 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to the Moms & Dads & loved ones who
just need a hug at this time. November 9, 2001

Thank you so much Kaye for giving me permission to share this poem
on this very special page, it fits so perfectly...you are a Sweetheart!

The pictures here at the bottom just give you a closer look at what I have in her garden. I also wanted to share the tree trunks. If you've gone to see Louise's original garden before we moved here, you will see why these 'two trunks' are important to me. These pictures will be updated as time allows.

This "placque" on the left was a 'birthday' gift for Louise's Angel Garden, (for her 25th Birthday on 6/18/05); it basically speaks for itself.
This 'rock' on the right was also a gift several years ago when my garden started growing. I just had to have this after reading the words,
they are so perfect for how Louise left us . . .so suddenly, without saying 'goodbye' (sniff, sniff).

This is our newest 'gift' to Louise's Garden. This idea was inspired by a very special Angel, In Loving Memory of Justin Anthony McCoy. In visiting Justin's page, I came upon the Memory Bench that was placed at Justin's High School in his memory and an idea came to mind about what to do with the 'bench' that I had here at home, that was originally for my garden, but ended up somewhere else in our backyard (my husband thought it'd look better elsewhere); so I came up with the idea to 'carve, chisel, or whatever you'd call it' a Memory bench for Louise. . . and this is the result above (with my husbands help of course). Thank you Angel Justin, you are an Inspiration, just as my Angel Louise was to all.

Garden of Memories
Strolling down your garden path, my heart takes flight
Dedicated in your memory, a breathtaking sight.
Blooms of love overflow, delicate petals aware
Of the love that is planted, with so much loving care.

A garden of your life story, your memory held near
Solace to the weary soul, I draw comfort here.
A quieting of the heart, sadness takes a respite
Testimony of love enduring, to the senses pure delight.

My gaze is drawn, to the butterflies dancing in air
Such freedom and abandon, their beauty comes to share
Surrounding themselves with the nectar of the vines
Showing once again, the beauty of God's design.

Fragrance drifts gently, nature's sweet sigh
Gentle reminder, you are always near by
Love from heaven, wrapped in loving care
Speaks softly to my heart, quieter than a prayer.

In the garden of your life's reflection
Memories recalled, with each selection
Symbols of endearing love, and introspection
Blazing colors of God's perfection.
Written by Jody Seilheimer
In memory of her son Cory Michael Griffin
January 4, 1972 - August 30, 1999

I'm sure these rocks speak for themselves. This is an excerpt from Danielle Steel's book "The Gift".
If you'd like to see a 'clear' version of these words, you can go back to Louise's Angel Garden.

These are some new rocks that had to be redone; so many others surprisingly have not faded. . .
unfortunately, these rocks will not be redone as they fade with the weather.

...I'm sure these rocks speak for themselves as well.

I just wanted to mention how much more special this garden is to me. In February (2002), someone very Dear to my Heart, Maria, Christopher's, Mommy, came to visit me for a whole week to help me get it all together, because I wasn't sure how I wanted it to look with all the rocks I had to add (this wasn't her first time visiting me, but her first time here in my new home). I know if not for her, I would not have had the motivation to do this, let alone know where to start (even though I know this was something I KNEW I had to do eventually with Louise's garden). I am such a procrastinator and I'm sure Maria can vouch for that *smile*.
Maria, you don't know how much you coming all the way to visit me from across the "map" (from Pittsburgh), to put Our Angel Garden together has truly meant to me...more than words can ever say...I love you, 'as big as the sky'...con todo mi corazon Meja!
Thank you Christopher for bringing your Mommy into my life.
(Hey Sweetie, what do you think of it now that the tree have grown? Wowwweeee huh?

This is my newest addition . . . these two "bricks" on each side of 'Louise's Angel Garden' rock, "Princess" and "Louise" (kind of on the lopsided side I know, but I'm just experimenting at the moment, can you tell?). These were made with my "Decorative Stones" kit I bought. In time I hope to learn to make my own 'verse stones' like the one I have above there with the words.

A picture I wanted to share (on the left first); I'm sure it speaks for itself, but I must include my thoughts here (thanks Maria for making me think twice about sharing this). I was trying to take a picture the other morning and this is what was 'included' in it; is this AWESOME or what? That actually is a 'cross' there in that 'purplish surrounding' in the corner. And what about this rainbow? Do you think perhaps Louise is trying to tell me something? Talk about signs!

Then on Louise's Birthday (picture on the right), this is what I got when I was going to take a picture of some backyard landscaping we are starting to do...I think these pictures speak for themselves!

THANK YOU so much for visiting and please come again soon...

Copyright © 2002 - 2007
Created: March 15, 2002Most recent revision: December 2, 2007
Sad to say, due to us moving to Apple Valley in December of 2000, Louise's Angel Garden had to be completely redone.

....and who said it didn't SNOW in the High Desert? Wowwweeee!!

More of OUR VERY SPECIAL DAUGHTER