The first week of July is full of memories; for most everyone this is likely true with the holiday but this year I am compelled to make a list:

• 90 years ago our Mother was born (July 3)
• 59 years ago our beloved Foxleigh was born (July 8)
• 34 years ago we had our last 4th of July on the River in Cedar falls (July 4)
• 34 years ago we moved to Saint Louis (July 8)
• 30 years ago J&J were married (July 3)
• 22 years ago I started my job working for the President of MIT (July 1)
• 20 years ago Dad threw a 70th birthday party for Mom; that trip was the last time I saw him (July 3)
• 19 years ago we bought our house (July 1)

And this year we took our boy to sleep away camp for the first time. It is hard to say how pivotal this year’s milestone is, but I am more conscious of it here in the moment than any of the others, that’s for sure. And the image that goes with it is of our garden, where 19 years ago the only blooms to be seen in early July were the lilies on the right; all of the rest we have planted and tended ourselves with the expanding sunlight, a lovely cascade down from the elegant Japanese maple. We found that by taking down a birch and a pear tree we freed up enough water to sustain the maple, green the lawn and provide sun for the perennials. We didn’t plan it that way, it just seemed right to trade shade for sun near the house and all of the other things followed.