Ben E. Daniels-1937-2011

One year ago today Ben passed away. A wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend to anyone Ben met. Always in my heart and not forgotten. For those of you who did not make it to the service I want to share the letter that was read. Dear Ben, It doesn’t seem possible that you have been gone 6 months and in those 6 months there hasn’t been a day that goes by that I don’t have to remind myself that you are no longer here. With the arrival of spring I look across the field and expect to see you on the tractor or on your hands and knees working on the irrigation or nurturing a plant along. Sometimes I will come around to the side of the barn and expect to see you sitting in the workshop in your chaotic mess repairing something. If it was lunchtime I would find you in your easy chair, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a cup of fruit and a cup of green tea, everyday for 20 years the same thing! When I am outside I try to remember your voice, giving a shout out to God, or hollering across the street to Jim or Chris, but all I hear is silence. But within that silence in the gardens I take myself back over the last 23 years and remember you and our life together. Our friendship started when I was shopping at the antique fair in Brimfield and I needed to get my treasures back to San Diego. The sign hanging here in the tent today caught my attention and I left message after message only to receive a call from you after I returned to California. Not exactly a big help. Next trip to Brimfield we actually met up, you hauled my stuff to the west coast and I am not sure how this California beach girl and a cross country trucker from the south every hit it off, but this caring friendship was like no other I had ever had. You actually saw my independence, ambition and my willingness to work hard as virtues! You wanted me to be successful and you have always been willing to help me achieve whatever I felt was within my reach. Remember the taco stand that you helped me set up in Brimfield for several years? Dad used to call me and my sister Lucy and Ethel because I would come up with some crazy idea and Nancy went along with it. I guess I found my Ricky Ricardo in you as you helped me build the best darn taco stand on Route 20! We were a team! Any idea or goal that I came up with you were right there by my side helping me to achieve it. I had always wanted to go the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. And you know that no one saw the parade like you and I did! The first year at the parade, I was so excited to be in New York City, I wanted to look fashionably good and you came out dressed like you were going on an expedition to the north pole!! I was horrified, but you warned me that I was going to freeze to death and after 6 long hours standing on the street corner I actually thought you were right. Walking back to the hotel I could hardly feel my feet!! I never complained, you never offered me your parka, but you taught me a lesson and the next year we went to the parade I was dressed just like I was going to join you on that expedition to the North Pole. Year 3 we arrived at the parade with ladders so that we could see over the crowd. Year 4, we actually rode the subway and carried 2 ladders and a board so that we would have our own personal bleacher seats!! We were the envy of the corner. One of my favorite memories with you! You were always up for a challenge! We have laughed over the years about the ride I took in your truck when we first met. We had stopped at a weigh station in Connecticut and one of the state troopers flagged us out of the line up. He came to my side of the truck and asked me to get out. I thought he was just being friendly by asking me all of these questions about who I was, why I was with you and what I was doing here from the west coast. You were being questioned on the other side by another trooper. When they finally let us go, we got back in the truck and you told me that they thought you had picked me up hitchhiking or was I possibly a hooker!!! (Pretty straight looking hooker I might add!) Years later you ran into the same trooper and he asked if you had ever seen me again and you said, yes, I married her! I admire, respect and love you for your ambition and drive and your ability to find the good in just about everyone. I have learned a lot about what it means to help others. You were the “go to” guy in our neighborhood!! Always had the right tool, the know how and a willingness to help. I have truly benefited from your “pay it” forward approach to life this past 6 months. I hope you can see all of the love, kindness and help that everyone has shown me. I have asked what I could do to repay their kindness and they have all responded that they had asked you what they could do for you when you helped them, your response, “Nothing right now, but Heidi is going to need you some day”. Well I can assure you that they have all been here for me. Driving in your truck and cris-crossing the country was your dream job and you lived it everyday for 30 plus years. Your expertise in moving antique furniture helped you build your specialty moving business and your reputation with dealers and auction houses was incredible. Working the Brimfield shows with you after we were married were some of the most fun and happiest times we had together. You loved the people and each May when we saw your customers we felt that so many of them were like family. I hate to admit it but the New England Truck Stop was our home away from home. There wasn’t anything that you couldn’t build. Whether it was the truck that you so lovingly called home all those years and built from the ground up from parts that you found along the way. Or the wood burning stove you built that put out so much heat that one day I looked out the window in the dead of winter and saw all of the doors and windows open in the garage because it was too hot! You could practically cremate a body in the thing! Want you to know that Casoli’s will be using it this winter to heat their warehouse You built a wood splitter that was amazing, it could split a tree trunk whole, I wanted to charge a fee for the men who were in awe of it and wanted to pull the lever. One of the last things you built was converting the forklift into a snowplow for winter. It was an amazing piece of ingenuity. The kicker was when you put lights on it for nighttime plowing. The lights you used were lights for airport runways. I looked out the window one evening and the whole yard was lit up!! I was afraid that Logan airport would start diverting traffic here. You never ceased to amaze me. Plympton Sand and Gravel is now the proud owner of the forklift/snowplow. I was so proud of all of your inventions and apparently others were impressed too. I hope you will be happy to know that all of your hard work and creations live on. I have asked everyone today to take a moment and walk around these grounds. I want them to look at how you have transformed Harrub’s Corner into Harrub’s National Park. Your vision here has been achieved and I will continue to make sure that it will always look as beautiful as when you left this earth. I don’t know how many miles of irrigation line you put down, but I know there were countless hours on your hands and knees putting it together. Not to mention the hours spent on researching the perfect plant food and organic pesticides to be sure we had the healthiest soil around and most beautiful gardens.. Summer Gardens was only a dream of mine and you made it come true! When you made up your mind you were going to do something you did it! Sometimes a good thing and sometimes not! While going through some papers I found a letter that I wrote to my family when we decided to get married. Because of our age difference I wrote that if Ben and I only had 20 years to spend together I would be happy to know that my life was truly blessed in so many ways. Unfortunately the 20 years went by too quickly. I thought we easily had another 20 to go. I want your son’s David and Gene to know that you were very proud of them and loved them very much. And Dave, he was so happy and proud of the job that you are doing in raising your 3 girls. I also want you to know that the love and support from our family and friends has given me so much strength to get through the past few months. Jim and Elizabeth have certainly kept their promise to you to look out for me if anything ever happened to you. I will be forever grateful for all they have done for me and for being with me in those last few hours before you died. I wish you had had more time to spend with Chris, Laurel and Christian. I know how much you enjoyed sharing your knowledge with the new homeowners and you were looking forward to the day you could put Christian on the tractor and teach him how to operate it. He was going to be your right hand man. .They are keeping an eye on me as well. And Steve and his crew were here every night splitting the trees you picked up around town and stacking firewood. I know that if I need anything I can count on him and am so grateful for all of his help. Louis and Veto could not be here today, but they have been my right hand men every weekend since you got sick. There are no words to express their loyalty, hard work and dedication to you and me and I know I can always count on them They know just what to do and how you would handle the work. I don’t know what I would do without them. Without you around I am having to brush up on my Spanish speaking skills, so Muchas Gracias Louis and Veto por todos de suyo duro trabajo, tu are mi familia. (Hope I got that right!) I don’t know how much you heard during your last few hours, but the Doctors told me that some people hold on because they are afraid to die. I take comfort in knowing that you were not afraid and that your strong faith in God has put you in a better place. I pray that you and your daughter, Lisa, are together again. I also know that you have seen all of the kindness shown to me by others because you are watching over me. I still have our buddy Mac and feel each day with him is a gift, he misses you too. Please continue to watch over me I miss you everyday and will love you always. Heidi

Summer Gardens***Greeter-Mac***1998-2012

Mac Loved His Job!

 The decision to get a puppy and make the commitment is never an easy one.  But if you end up as blessed and lucky as I have been to have a Mac in your life you will experience no greater love than the love from your pooch.    Out of the 10 puppies in the litter  we selected Libby, the runt female, which Ben always felt were the smartest, and she was!  We had no intention of leaving with two puppies, but Mac (named after the Mac truck) fought his way to the edge of the group and made sure that he got noticed, HE had made HIS choice and  made sure that we were not going home without him!   I am so glad that he did!  Some dogs are feisty and hyper, some more quiet than others.  Some dogs are naughty, some very obedient, some are smart, some not too bright!  But Mac, was PERFECT.   

His personality and gentle old soul endeared him to anyone that stopped to pet him.

 Was Mac a typical puppy?, yes!!  After 14 years you forget about years 0-2, believe me he had his moments, but he did not like getting into trouble so they were few and far between!  (I hate to say it, but his sister Libby, instigated most of the trouble that he got into)   I had left Mac and Libby in the house alone one day for only about an hour when they were about 9-months old.  We had a huge picture window and as I was walking to the front door, up pops Mac in the window with stuffing coming out of both sides of his mouth.  I actually kind of laughed to myself as it looked alot like a scene from a cartoon, and how bad could it be, a pillow maybe?!!!!  Nope, the whole side of our couch.  Apparently they were having a ball without me.  The couch was actually pulled half way into the livingroom and stuffing was everywhere!  I had always told them after that day, they were lucky that Ben was on the road as I wasn't sure if they would have lived to see there first year through! 

We called Mac the U-F dog (for underfoot).  Wherever Ben went Mac was right behind him.  He slept on the floor right next to Ben's side of the bed, so he would know if he was trying to sneak off without him.  If Ben was in his chair, Mac was right there, usually asleep ON his feet.  He knew when it was time to empty the trash, go out and water or make the daily run to the bank and the post office. If Ben left without him, Mac would sit in the yard for hours waiting for him.  He would hear the diesel pickup coming down the road and Mac knew that it was Ben.  He loved going for a ride and Mac LOVED Ben.  When Ben was in the hospital and after he died, Mac would wait on the back porch until well after dark waiting for him to come home.  I will never forget the day that I started the pickup after Ben was gone, and Mac came running around the side of the barn, I know that he expecting to see Ben.   It took him a few weeks but he became my U-F dog, and I was amazed he switched spots and started to lay on the floor by me every night when I laid on the couch, every once in awhile lifting his head to look at me to be sure I hadn't snuck off!  After Libby died, Mac went through a little bit of a rebellious stage, after all he had just lost his best friend in Ben and now his littermate, so sad.

You would have thought we opened Summer Gardens just for Mac.  He loved his job and he took it very seriously!  I would call him the doormat.  On a warm summer day, he would be stretched out in front of the door catching a breeze, a snooze, and keeping one eye open for anyone that would pull up to greet him.  When we first opened and he got the hang of what was going on, he would get up from his post and leave the shop, go down to the car say hi, show them the way, and then as his new found friends were making there way to the store he would come in and just stand and look at me.  Well, I got the hang of that and knew that whenever he came to the checkout counter customers were surely on their way in.  

He loved all of you!  And thank you for all of the years that you stepped over him to get out of the shop because you didn't want to disturb him!  At the end of the weekend, I would take the sign in and close up shop.  Many an evening I would look out the window and Mac would be sitting by the barn door hoping that someone would still be coming.  I think he actually knew when Friday rolled around and he could start his three day job again.

One week ago today, Mac became ill and he died here at home on July 30, the day before my birthday.  Since Ben and Libby's passing I cannot tell you how grateful I have been to have my buddy.  (I think in a way, he wanted me to start my new year fresh as we had been through so much together this past 8 months) He has helped me through a very difficult time and I think that he held onto life a little bit longer just for me.  Everyday I made sure to let him know he was my best friend and that he was the most wonderful and special dog I could have ever hoped for.  

There will never be another dog like him.  I will really miss my Bustabrownie!

Libby-In Loving Memory-1998-2012

Mac and I have lost another beloved member of our family this past week.  Libby passed away peacefully on February 5.  Mac and Libby were littermates we adopted from a family in Hull.  Her mother was a champion Shar-pei and her father a black lab from the neighborhood.  The owner of the pups wanted to get rid of them as fast as she could, Probably because they left a black mark on the status of her pooch!!  We arrived at the Hull house with the intention of only getting 1 pup.  There was a child's blow up wading pool full of puppies.  Mac had already stolen my heart, but Ben wanted the runt female and that just happened to be Lib.  So it was decided they were both coming home with us, looking back I wouldn't have had it any other way.  Libby was named on New Year's Eve.  I was watching Time Square and they showed a shot of the statue of Liberty, (Liberty was almost her name!)
Our sweet little pup who looked like a pot belly pig (and remained a strange but cute looking dog her whole life) had to have an "eye lift" to correct the many folds of skin around her eyes, very common with the Shar-pei breed.  So our "free" puppy cost us over $500 the first week!
Libby was the instigator of all trouble.  Early one morning, Libby (she was about 9 months old) caught and killed a skunk right at the front door of the house!  Ben, (only wearing a pair of slippers I might add, luckily we lived in the woods) beating the skunk over the head with a broom, while Mac stood barking his head off a safe distance away (pretty smart on his part!) and I from the window.  We all smelled like skunk for weeks!!  If there was a snake Libby had to have it.  She and Romy (the barn cat) were a tag team when it came to catching critters.  Romy bringing the prey home, Libby safely burying it in the yard, guarding it and growling at Mac whenever he came near. (Then I would follow up and clean up when Libby wasn't looking)  She had to be front and center for anything going on.  She became my shadow, always on my heels and my loyal devoted buddy.  When we first opened Summer Gardens, Libby found it hard to let anyone in "her" barn, but as the years went by she was a permanent fixture sitting in the sun greeting the customers as they came in.  I could spend a couple of hours across the street, look out the window and there would be Libby sitting like a statue patiently waiting for me to come home.  She kept track of all of our animals (earning her the nickname of Old Mother Hubbard) If a kitty wanted in the house or up from the basement, Libby would pester you until you figured out what she wanted, only settling down after everyone was accounted for.  She loved her "kitty friends".
I found out Libby was sick shortly after Ben died and I am grateful for the last few months we had with her. Mac and I know she arrived safely in heaven and she isn't sick anymore.  There is another huge void in my life and Mac's too.  I tell Mac everyday we're going to be okay.  I take comfort in knowing Libby is with Ben and they are watching over us.  She will always be loved and in my heart forever.

Libby with her buddy Annie

Libby on planting day

What a big help!

Note:Romy in the dog bed and Libby curled up in the cat bed

Took her awhile to get situated in this bed!

One of my last pictures of Libby, cleaning house!

In Loving Memory-1937-2011

I have been going through some of Ben's paperwork and found an old business card from his moving business.  On the back of the card he had the following printed:

One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much I had in my bank account nor what my clothes looked like.  But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of another being.

Couldn't have said it better myself!
I wrote this memorial about Ben shortly after he passed away.

Ben passed away peacefully November 18. Several years ago he was diagnosed with a lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis, for which there is no treatment or cure. As you all know, Ben was very passionate about his health and maintaining a healthy body naturally. He was constantly researching different ways to treat his illness and did very well up until 3 weeks ago, but the disease finally took over and Ben lost his battle. I am not one to preach about the determents of cigarette smoking, but if you are a smoker PLEASE STOP. Ben quit smoking over 35 years ago, led an extremely healthy life after that and bought himself many good years, but the damage was done. Had it not been for his smoking Ben would most likely be here today. Ben owned and operated his own truck specializing in the moving of antiques. He worked in Brimfield for over 30 years, as well as many of the top auction houses all over the country. He was well respected in his field by the antique dealers and many celebrities. After retiring from the road we purchased our home in Plympton and started the development of this small farm and gift shop. We worked tirelessly together to get Summer Gardens up and running. Ben was a mechanical genius and loved to build equipment from the ground up, including the truck he so lovingly called home all of the years he was on the road. Because Ben was so passionate about health and a good quality of life he donated his body to Tufts Medical Research in Boston in hopes of helping someone else someday. Ben is survived by his son David and his wife Kelly of Belton, MO, a son Gene and his wife Jenny of Aliso Viejo, CA, a sister Faye Shaw and brother Newton Daniels both of LA. Also 3 beautiful granddaughters and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by a daughter Lisa Daniels. At this time there will be no services. Next spring we will have a gathering here at Summer Gardens to honor Ben and his love and kindness that he so willingly passed on to others. Thank you for all of your love and support. If you live in the area, please take time to say hi to Mac (his dog) he misses his buddy terribly.

Summer Wedding

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of using flowers, all grown at Summer Gardens to decorate a local lodge for a wedding reception.  I spent Saturday morning gathering, cutting and stripping leaves from the flowers above.
They went from this....

To these...21 table arrangements.  I used

a combination of Limelight Hydrangeas, cutting Ageratum, wild Queen Anne's Lace, Sea Holly, Delphinium

and various leaves and berry's from our field. 

 

There were also 4 large buckets that were placed outside the lodge.  I LOVE the bride's choice of colors and was happy that we had exactly the flowers she wanted.  

Congratulations to Katy and her Groom!

"Star Spangled" Weekend

Celebrating Everything Red, White and Blue

20% Off

All Red, White or Blue Items. 

July 1, 2, and 3***11am-4pm

In celebration of the 4th of July, any item that has

red, white or blue on it will receive 20% off.

Includes all patriotic decorations, furniture, coverlets, pillows and more!

Start Your Holiday Off with a Bang!

                           

        Garden Globes

     

It's All About the Red, White and Blue!

Don't forget to pick up a delicious Ever So Humble berry pie for your holiday party!

Discount not applicable on food and consigned items

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 Click on the logo above and join our Facebook fan page. 

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Here's to a Glorious 4th!

Heidi

Summer Gardens
111 County Road (Rte 106)
Plynouth, MA 02367
781-582-1576
http://www.historicsummergardens.com/

Caromal Colours Paint Demonstration-June 18

The Country Living Artisans Collection paint requires no sanding or

stripping prior to application on furniture or accessories..basecoat will stick to painted or raw wood, metal, plastic, glass, tile or masonry. We will be holding demonstrations at 11:30am and 2pm on June 18. 

 Hope to see you at the barn!