This summer has been the summer of spending lots of time in the gardens at the Provo City Center Temple. That place just makes me happy. I work hard, but all the hard work has been reapayed over and over again in the friendships I developed and the mental happiness I have been given. Here are some of the good times I've had there:
Elder Kennedy and I were weeding around the west oval. We were looking for a specific weed that's been a problem in the shrubbery there. We managed to find others things instead. This was my "score" of the day. It's a shoot from a nearby ornamental cherry tree. This somehow escaped the notice of everyone and managed to grow for four years. I had the pleasure of chopping it down. I think it was almost 6.5 feet tall. The area where they were growing looks so much better now. Justin took our picture and he isn't good at taking pictures, so this is the best I got.
There are a lot of people that come to the north park area of the temple grounds. They often bring blankets and picnic lunches. It's a big time place for college kids who are "in love" to come and snuggle. Super gross! Anyway, I laughed when I found these socks in that area. I told Justin the college kids are starting to get really comfy and partially undressing. I think Tokie (Justin's boss) ran over the socks with the lawn mower (ride on) so that's why they are full of holes.
On that same day I found the "goods" seen below. It was a homeless persons stash of stuff. I didn't look super close, but I did notice a camp stove, propane, blanket, and trash bags. I think it's really sad and disrespectful that the homeless population use the temple grounds as their personal property. Justin says it's a continual problem. He has even seen them bathing in the water fountain! The temple has lots and lots of hidden cameras and that makes me feel better. Still, there are a few areas that are densely packed with shrubs and you could play an awesome game of hide and seek. Or, someone could hide a body back there and it wouldn't be found for weeks. The temple also has roving security guards. I see them at least once every time I'm volunteering there. I think they are slowly getting used to me being there. They look stern, but they are friendly when you stop to talk with them.
Elder Kennedy and I are a team now. He used to just hang out in the shop with Justin, or just in the shop on his phone (I am learning service missionaries have A LOT of freedom). Not anymore, we go out together every week now. He is about halfway through his mission. On this particular day we were weeding the strawberry beds just south of the family circle plaza (everything has a name there). He managed to find a little strawberry. There are actually quite a few beds with ornamental strawberries. They are easy to maintain and look adorable with their pretty pink flowers and unique leaves. It's a major delight for find a strawberry because they are so tasty to eat. The temple also had Oregon grapes that are edible and daylilies that you can eat too. Elder Kennedy is forever trying to get me to eat both. I am actually a fan of the grapes, but haven't gathered up enough courage to try the daylilies even though Elder Kennedy says he will eat one with me.
This was taken on the same day as the above. Justin asked us to work on the morning glory in the ground cover beds right up next to the temple. It was just a humbling experience to be so close. I love the many different colors of bricks. It makes me wonder how many are original, and how many are new.
This is the view that we have of the temple from the "shop". Not too shabby. All the volunteers struggle to find the shop because it's pretty tucked away and nondescript. I have some really great memories of this area. I am so lucky to feel so at home at this temple. Over the past few weeks I have really started to feel a lot of pride and ownership of the gardens and shrubbery beds. I feel like I'm giving up a personal part of myself while I am there and getting so many amazing blessings in return.
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