This is a “Bougainvillea Plant” it’s a challenge to grow them here in South Mississippi and they seem to do better when left alone. (which seems to be contradictory, but for those of you have tried, you know exactly what I mean.) ANYWAY, the care of this plant is not what I wanted to talk about. What I want to talk about is how a single flower can instantly transport you back to a special time a special place and most importantly to a special person. The Bougainvillea does that for me. Years ago in the Niles District of Fremont, California, outside a side gate of one of my Very best childhood friends Nancy Rugani’s house, there grew what seemed to be a GIGANTIC Bougainvillea bush. We couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 years old but I remember vividly It being the first time I had ever seen one!! The fascination over it’s miraculous origami in nature tissue paper like blooms made me stop in awe wondering how perfect in form and beauty it was. I then remember how important we felt it was to share our discovery with the world!!! (For certainly no one else knew about these beauties or we would have heard about them!) So quickly our minds went to having a restaurant named after the flower (that we did not know the name of) and featuring in the center of each cafe table, would be a vase of these visions of perfection!!!! However I don’t remember what happened after that... we probably got called into dinner or it was time to watch the Flintstones, Jetsons or if a Saturday, it may have been American Bandstand in order to catch the latest 60’s dance moves. But that’s the part I don’t remember. The Flower, The Place, Nancy Rugani and all the beautiful memories each one of those gave to and stayed with me is the important part and for that I am so VERY GRATEFUL!!!
Thank You Bougainvillea and THANK YOU Rugani Family!!!
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