Is there a flower that reminds you of someone special? As I prepare my beds in the spring, I think of each of my grandmothers. They had flowers in their gardens that were both magical to me and totally different, just like my grandmothers.
My maternal grandmother had sugar snap peas growing along her base. She didn’t appreciate them as much as I did. She told me to drag them all and take them with me! They always withered when I got home, so I left some to enjoy when I came back to visit. As a kid I thought they were the most beautiful pink magical flower and plant in the world.
As the light pink flower began to fade, it turned purple. I really enjoyed looking for them every spring and was drawn to them every time I visited them. Not only did they have beautiful flowers, but they also had interesting tendrils that would cling to a neighboring plant or trellis for climbing.
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Sweet peas are known as romantic flowers because of their enchanting fragrance. They usually bloom around June 21st – the longest day of the year. If you’ve never had the pleasure of growing sweet peas, they are climbing plants with beautiful clusters of flowers resembling fringed butterflies.
Their stalks appear to be folded and are sturdy enough to support stalks up to two meters tall and plenty of blooms. The varieties come in a variety of many colors including red, pink, blue, white, and lavender. They should be planted in early spring or late winter, and soaking the seeds will help them germinate faster.
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They were discovered in 1696 by a Franciscan friar, Father Cupani, who found them on the hills of Sicily. He was so fascinated by its beauty and fragrance that he collected the plant and planted sweet pea seeds in his monastery garden. He also sent the seeds to breeders around the world.
Don’t confuse sweet peas with the garden pea variety. Lathyrus odoratus (annual) and Lathyrus latifolius (perennial) are legumes, but are not edible. All plants, flowers and seeds of the “sweet pea” are poisonous and should not be eaten.
The garden pea family members, Pisum sativum, English peas, snow peas, snow peas, and pea pods are edible and delicious. Their flowers and plants resemble the non-edible variety.
Commonly found in cottage gardens or informal gardens, sweet peas make good cut flowers. They work well for climbing up a trellis or fence, or can also “flow” out of a planter.
Does gardening bring back childhood memories of someone’s garden, arrangement, or special meal?
If you have questions about your garden or landscape, contact a master gardener at the University of Illinois Extension Office in Mattoon at 217-345-7034. Be sure to visit the U of I Extension Horticultural website web.extension.illinois.edu/ccdms/ and like the Master Gardeners Facebook page www.facebook.com/ColesCountyMasterGardeners.
My Town: Clint Walker’s Memoirs of Coles County from the Archives
Cosmic Blue Comics
From the Journal Gazette of November 22, 1992, this photo by Cosmic Blue Comics in Mattoon; where I spent practically every Saturday afternoon for about two years. That little back room to the right of the Coca-Cola sign was where the many, I mean many, long crates of old issues were kept. I still have my boxed copy of Tales of the Beanworld issue #1 that I found there. Unfortunately, this place is now just a “green space”.
Mattoon Arcade
Pictured is Bob Murray of Shelbyville from the June 2, 1982 Journal Gazette demonstrating his dominance over the TRON arcade game at the Carousel Time arcade in the Cross County Mall, which would later become Aladdin’s Castle, to soon after no longer being a thing no more. I spent almost every Saturday in this arcade, maybe with the exact same hairdo. However, without overalls. I was more of an “Ocean Pacific” kid.
Icenogles
Pictured November 28, 1988, Journal Gazette, Icenogle Grocery Store. Being from Cooks Mills, we didn’t shop at Icenogle’s often… but when we did, I knew from a young age that’s how a grocery store should be in a perfect world, and not just because she had it Wooden floors, comics on magazine racks, or lots, and I mean lots of trading cards in wax packs.
cooks mills
By the time this showcase article about Adam’s Groceries appeared in the Journal Gazette of June 13, 1998, I had long since moved away from Cooks Mills, but there was a time when I could very well have been one of those kids in this photograph; because if it was summer and you had a bike and you lived in Cooks Mills, that’s where you ended up. According to last report they still had Tab in the Pepsi cooler on the back. I am seriously considering asking my money man if I could afford to reopen this place.
Mr Music
Pictured from the Journal Gazette, July 16, 1987, this ad for Mister Music, formerly located on the Cross County Mall. I didn’t buy records at that age, but eventually I would and it all went under. If you think hanging out with your buddies at a record store on a Friday night with a hot driver’s license fresh in your wallet doesn’t sound ‘cool’, you’re right. But it’s the best a geek like me could do. Wherever you are today, owners of Mister Music, please know that a Minutemen album I found in your cheap bin changed my life.
Sound source guitar throw
Portrait of the author as a young man attempting to throw a guitar through a target at this year’s Sound Source Music Guitar Throwing Contest, April 18, 1994, Journal Gazette. Check out my grunge era hoodie, and yes… look closely, those are Air Jordans you see on my feet. Addendum: Contrary to the cutline, I didn’t win a guitar.
Pictured, clipped from the online archives at JG-TC.com, an April 18, 1994 photograph, Journal Gazette of Sound Source Music Guitar Throwing Contest winner and current JG-TC employee Clint Walker.
vets
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, Vette’s Teen Club, from the Journal Gazette June 20, 1991. I wasn’t “cool” enough to hang around behind Vette in his “heyday” and by “cool enough” I mean “not practiced enough.” in parking lot fights”. If only I could dare now.
FutureGen
FutureGen: The End of the Beginning and Eventually the Beginning of the End, December 19, 2007, JG-TC. I wish I had paid more attention back then. I probably should have read the newspaper.
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