A long time before I was born, my grandma and grandpa had a young family of four little girls.
A
long
time
before
I
was
born
,
my
grandma
and
grandpa
had
a
young
family
of
four
little
girls
.
During the Great Depression, work was hard to find, so Grandpa did whatever jobs he could.
During
the
Great
Depression
,
work
was
hard
to
find
,
so
Grandpa
did
whatever
jobs
he
could
.
On weekends he and Grandma dug a garden to grow some of their own food.
On
weekends
he
and
Grandma
dug
a
garden
to
grow
some
of
their
own
food
.
Everybody worked to keep the garden growing.
Everybody
worked
to
keep
the
garden
growing
.
All summer long, the family ate food and enjoyed flowers from the garden.
All
summer
long
,
the
family
ate
food
and
enjoyed
flowers
from
the
garden
.
Grandma put up strawberry jam, tomatoes, beans, peppers, pears and peaches in canning jars.
Grandma
put
up
strawberry
jam
,
tomatoes
,
beans
,
peppers
,
pears
and
peaches
in
canning
jars
.
They were good to eat through the long winter.
They
were
good
to
eat
through
the
long
winter
.
The family grew up, and grandparents grew old.
The
family
grew
up
,
and
grandparents
grew
old
.
It became hard to keep up the garden, so they made it a little smaller.
It
became
hard
to
keep
up
the
garden
,
so
they
made
it
a
little
smaller
.
There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy.
There
was
still
plenty
to
eat
from
the
garden
and
lovely
flowers
to
enjoy
.
Then one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was watch from his lawn chair as the vegetables grew and the roses bloomed.
Then
one
summer
when
Grandpa
was
eighty-nine
years
old
,
all
he
could
do
was
watch
from
his
lawn
chair
as
the
vegetables
grew
and
the
roses
bloomed
.
Summer slowly faded, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest.
Summer
slowly
faded
,
and
Grandpa
died
before
it
was
time
to
bring
in
the
harvest
.
It was a lonely winter for Grandma.
It
was
a
lonely
winter
for
Grandma
.
She sat near the window, looking out at the yard and wondering if she could plant a garden in the spring.
She
sat
near
the
window
,
looking
out
at
the
yard
and
wondering
if
she
could
plant
a
garden
in
the
spring
.
When spring came, she planted only a little garden.
When
spring
came
,
she
planted
only
a
little
garden
.
One sunny day in the early summer, Grandma heard a commotion in the front yard and looked out the window to see a frightening sight.
One
sunny
day
in
the
early
summer
,
Grandma
heard
a
commotion
in
the
front
yard
and
looked
out
the
window
to
see
a
frightening
sight
.
A huge swarm of bees filled the air between two tall trees.
A
huge
swarm
of
bees
filled
the
air
between
two
tall
trees
.
The buzzing sound was very loud.
The
buzzing
sound
was
very
loud
.
The bees made their way into a hole up in one of the trees.
The
bees
made
their
way
into
a
hole
up
in
one
of
the
trees
.
Before long, every one of those bees had disappeared into its new home.
Before
long
,
every
one
of
those
bees
had
disappeared
into
its
new
home
.
During the next few days, the bees were busy minding their own business.
During
the
next
few
days
,
the
bees
were
busy
minding
their
own
business
.
Grandma could always see a few bees buzzing in and out around the opening high in the tree.
Grandma
could
always
see
a
few
bees
buzzing
in
and
out
around
the
opening
high
in
the
tree
.
Before long, she decided the bees weren't bothering anyone, so she didn't give them another thought.
Before
long
,
she
decided
the
bees
were
n't
bothering
anyone
,
so
she
did
n't
give
them
another
thought
.
That summer, Grandma's little garden grew and grew.
That
summer
,
Grandma
's
little
garden
grew
and
grew
.
_
_
One day, Grandma's brother Frank visited from Arizona.
One
day
,
Grandma
's
brother
Frank
visited
from
Arizona
.
As Grandma made Frank a delicious lunch of squash cakes and homemade applesauce, she told him the story about the swarm of bees.
As
Grandma
made
Frank
a
delicious
lunch
of
squash
cakes
and
homemade
applesauce
,
she
told
him
the
story
about
the
swarm
of
bees
.
Frank said, "In Arizona, the farmers often hired beekeepers to set up beehives near their fields.
Frank
said
,
``
In
Arizona
,
the
farmers
often
hired
beekeepers
to
set
up
beehives
near
their
fields
.
The bees pollinated the crops and helped them to grow."
The
bees
pollinated
the
crops
and
helped
them
to
grow
.
''
That was when Grandma realized that her bees had helped with her garden all summer.
That
was
when
Grandma
realized
that
her
bees
had
helped
with
her
garden
all
summer
.
"So that's why my little garden had such a big crop!"
``
So
that
's
why
my
little
garden
had
such
a
big
crop
!
''
she exclaimed.
she
exclaimed
.
From that time on, Grandma always believed that since Grandpa couldn't be there to help her that summer, he had sent the bees to take his place and make Grandma's little garden grow and grow.
From
that
time
on
,
Grandma
always
believed
that
since
Grandpa
could
n't
be
there
to
help
her
that
summer
,
he
had
sent
the
bees
to
take
his
place
and
make
Grandma
's
little
garden
grow
and
grow
.
A long time before I was born, my grandma and grandpa had a young family of four little girls. During the Great Depression, work was hard to find, so Grandpa did whatever jobs he could. On weekends he and Grandma dug a garden to grow some of their own food.  Everybody worked to keep the garden growing. All summer long, the family ate food and enjoyed flowers from the garden. Grandma put up strawberry jam, tomatoes, beans, peppers, pears and peaches in canning jars. They were good to eat through the long winter.  The family grew up, and grandparents grew old. It became hard to keep up the garden, so they made it a little smaller. There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy.  Then one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was watch from his lawn chair as the vegetables grew and the roses bloomed. Summer slowly faded, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest.  It was a lonely winter for Grandma. She sat near the window, looking out at the yard and wondering if she could plant a garden in the spring. When spring came, she planted only a little garden.  One sunny day in the early summer, Grandma heard a commotion in the front yard and looked out the window to see a frightening sight. A huge swarm of bees filled the air between two tall trees. The buzzing sound was very loud.  The bees made their way into a hole up in one of the trees. Before long, every one of those bees had disappeared into its new home. During the next few days, the bees were busy minding their own business. Grandma could always see a few bees buzzing in and out around the opening high in the tree. Before long, she decided the bees weren't bothering anyone, so she didn't give them another thought.  That summer, Grandma's little garden grew and grew. _  One day, Grandma's brother Frank visited from Arizona. As Grandma made Frank a delicious lunch of squash cakes and homemade applesauce, she told him the story about the swarm of bees. Frank said, "In Arizona, the farmers often hired beekeepers to set up beehives near their fields. The bees pollinated the crops and helped them to grow."  That was when Grandma realized that her bees had helped with her garden all summer. "So that's why my little garden had such a big crop!" she exclaimed.  From that time on, Grandma always believed that since Grandpa couldn't be there to help her that summer, he had sent the bees to take his place and make Grandma's little garden grow and grow.