Susan Margaret Longhurst

In the last five years, since she was diagnosed with cancer, my mom saw her grandchildren grow into teens. She traveled to Canada, Ireland and England and saw the Aurora Borealis. She and my father moved off the mountain and into town after 40+ years of rural life. The transition was difficult for her, so she created a garden oasis brimming with flowers and vegetables. She missed the tall trees but decided to paint clouds. She slowly warmed to Ashland, took up tai chi and frequented the growers' market. She knew plants better than anyone I've ever met. She just had to give a plant a little pep talk and it would flourish. Her garden is a riot of hollyhocks,roses, herbs, arugula and tomatoes. Up until the week before she died, she was baking bread and sending meals over to my house. She was an advocate for the educational needs of small children. She believed that every child had a right to a relationship with the natural world. She was tougher than tough and braver than brave. She carried buckets of water, chopped wood, milked goats, butchered chickens, ground wheat and made tofu from scratch. She infused wonder and whimsy into children's lives. A weekend with Grandma was a chance to experience the full force of her magic. The mysteriously refilled treasure chest, the mud kitchen, hundreds of silly songs, stacks of pancakes and gingerbread cookies, and a colorful dusting of edible flowers on every salad! The baskets of crystals, shells, feathers and rocks. The puppets and musical instruments and shelves overflowing with picture books. The birthday parties for an ancient oak tree and fairy gardens waiting to be discovered discovered in potted plants. My children have been shaped and blessed by her love. It's so strange to think of all of her knowledge that has gone with her. Herbal medicine, native plants, crocheting, the best rhubarb pie, and how to coax wood stove alight in record time. She had beautiful handwriting and sent little notes in my lunch even in high school. Her house was full of beeswax candles and flowers. She loved frog song and hummingbirds and hot sunshine. She called me Moonbeam and Pumpkin.