Ren's Garden in the fine rain shows a scene of boundless green
△Thanks@Anniefor the heartfelt voiceover
Morning and dusk along the field paths, quietly enjoying country life
Open the window to green, the air carries the scent of moist soil, branches and leaves whisper with the breeze, birds chirp and murmur among the grass, stroll a few steps along the fragrant path of the small courtyard - this is perhaps what ordinary people envision as a leisurely life. Despite busy work, people living in the city still do their utmost to create a pastoral life like "elm and willow shading the back eaves, peach and plum arrayed before the hall."
There are two kinds of stories we want to tell:
- Happy stories of people in various garden families and activities fully enjoying the pleasures of country life;
- Facing the fast pace and high pressure of city life, how people use a gentle way to heal themselves, get close to nature, and let life slow down.
Cherish nature and the land, be grateful for the gifts of every drop of rain and dew and every clump of grass and trees, one flower and one leaf, doing it with your own hands. You should know that all those delicate and beautiful things come from the hard work of labor and a heartfelt love and steadfastness toward life.
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[Fine Rain, Gentle Breeze, Green Stretching to the Sky]
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△Ren Jun - middle
Ren Jun has now become "Great-Grandpa." No matter their age or gender, everyone has changed how they address him, all following his great-grandson Manman in calling him "Great-Grandpa."
Ren Jun worked in naval equipment for more than 40 years. After officially retiring, he settled in Wuhan with his only daughter, who is herself already a grandmother. His granddaughter returned from studying in the UK and stayed in Wuhan to work; she is also a mother. Little great-grandson Manman is both adorable and cool, very lovable. Great-Grandpa holds his great-grandson, four generations under one roof, even more full of happiness.
Ren Jun has always loved growing flowers. When he previously lived in Yichang, Ren Jun planted flowers all around his house. Especially in spring, "May Red" covered an entire wall, with hundreds and thousands of rose blossoms in full bloom, not only attracting bees and butterflies, but the courtyard full of spring color also drew in residents of the community.
Some came to visit, some used the flowers as a backdrop for photos, some wanted to take cuttings, some came to ask for seedlings, and some wanted to pick flowers. A rose given to others leaves fragrance on the hand; Ren Jun always granted every request.
His home was also called "Ren's Garden" by people.
In 2015, he came to settle in Wuhan, and along the way brought a truckload of flowers from Yichang. Weeding, fertilizing, digging soil - he did everything himself. His wife wanted to plant more vegetables in the yard, but he wanted to plant more flowers. His wife could not sway him. Although he only won a small patch of land, the flower pots, large and small, still grew more and more.
Even the security guard in the community said, "This old gentleman is really impressive. Not only is he in good health, he also loves growing flowers. In less than two years of living here, he actually transformed a yard full of weeds into a garden. It has become our community's viewing platform."
In "Ren's Garden," bougainvillea bloomed all the way from summer into winter, red, yellow, pink, and white; all kinds of chrysanthemums competed in splendor, colorful and giving off an alluring fragrance; strings of red salvia swayed in the wind with different postures; camellias were unwilling to be left out too, standing by the roadside joining the fun, waiting to bloom... Every day, residents of the community came to stop and admire.
But he was still not satisfied and planned to further plan and tend the garden. On one hand, he adapted to local conditions and categorized the flowers; on the other hand, he improved the quality of the flowers, achieving flowers to admire in spring, fragrance to enjoy in summer, fruit to see in autumn, and greenery to savor in winter. In whatever he did, he always strove for perfection and never slackened.
The End
Thank you all for listening
One garden story each episode
Chatting about the poetry and distant places of garden families
See you in the next episode, good night and sweet dreams