Earlier this spring, this arrived at my house:
Yes, a lump of dirt with grass attached. In a soggy, soiled paper towel.
I was thrilled.
That’s no ordinary sod. It’s holy ground from Lexington Green, and a surprise gift from a friend.
I potted it the next morning. Although a few blades instantly turned white, as if lesser soil had suddenly sucked all the chlorophyll out of them, 24 hours later the grass was thriving again. It’s still growing strong today.
It truly felt (and feels) like a sacred object — much moreso than most items ever decreed holy by official decreers of holiness.
Oh, and you see that white stone at its roots? That’s Plymouth Rock. Well, it’s a Plymouth rock, off the beach where the Pilgrims landed.
I’m not allowed to tell you the full story of these items, which is a pity because it’s got very funny parts and sad ones. And I suppose for caution’s sake I should say I’m lying about all of the above and it’s actually grass and rock from somebody’s regular old back yard. Believe what you wish.
Suffice to say that the friend who … er, obtained the sacred (or not) relics is clearly not cut out to be a master criminal. If he were in a caper film, he’d be the comic relief character.
That’s pretty awesome… in my Will I ask to have my ashes scattered on the summit of Mt. Hood, but it was a tough call between that and the Oregon Coast…
Lexington Green might be in the running now… LOVE that idea…
There aren’t many things to consider “holy” these days, but that is one of them. Lucky you… (Do you have a miniature lawn mower to keep the grass cut?)
Congratulations – you’re over $4000!
Shit – now I want one! That’s really cool.
Way cool, Claire! Pieces of history!
Brew, I’m thinking of having mine and my wife’s ashes scattered here in Rocky Mountain National Park, where our photo was taken in the Summer of 1982 when we were first starting out life together.
“Do you have a miniature lawn mower to keep the grass cut?”
Snort!
As to wanting a piece of this history, The Wandering Monk has first dibs, but if this grass grows to fill the pot, there will be enough to share. Only problem is, it has to be sent by some very quick method to a person all set to plant it. Even then there’s a slight chance it wouldn’t survive the trip.
“I’m thinking of having mine and my wife’s ashes scattered”
What a touching gesture, RV.
Hell, the way grass grows, you could have a little cottage industry growing it out and transplanting it out to other pots. Maybe even start a dedicated raised bed.
“By the rude bridge…”
I guess I need to make a pilgrimage this summer… and if my grass will grow I’ll collect the seeds to grow more. Maybe I can someday sod the yard with ‘Minuteman Grass’!
“By the rude bridge…”
Indeed. And that’s a sore point. The “rude bridge” was at Concord. The actual first shot was at Lexington. But at Concord the minutemen were victorious, then the Lexingtonians joined them in harrying the redcoats back to Boston. The early morning encounter at Lexington was an accidental and inconclusive skirmish. So Concord gets all the credit for “the shot heard round the world.” ‘Taint fair.
I saw a great epitaph…He died with his monitor on.
I’ve always been partial to fiction stories.
Grass like that deserves a little statue too, I’ve been fond of the Minuteman Statue, who knows one day one of those might pop up too.
“Only problem is, it has to be sent by some very quick method to a person all set to plant it. Even then there’s a slight chance it wouldn’t survive the trip.”
If it goes to seed, the seeds would be easier to transport and more likely to survive delays in planting.
I’s wonder if there could be a market for freedom seeds?