LILLIES FOR THE GRAVES


This is Lou's grave with artificial flowers that Sue left and the Easter Lilly that I planted at the end. This was a week after I planted them.

I planted an Easter Lilly at the foot of Lou's grave and transplanted some daylillies from the Halsell House down the middle of the Halsell's grave with some placed on either side of the Easter Lilly and the Halsell stone. The lawn maintenance people mowed the next week and mowed the day lillies except for the ones in the middle of the Halsell graves.

Laurie wrote that she didn't know what an Easter Lilly looked like. Here is the one that I planted on Lou's grave. The daylillies next to it have been mowed down.

These are the daylillies planted between Ma and Pa Halsell's graves. The red flowers are artificial.

REMEMBERING LOU

I remembered her by planting an Easter Lilly plus a lot of daylillies from the Halsell House that are the descendents of the plants brought there by Lou's father when they moved in. I planted them down the middle of Pa and Ma's graves also. We watered them the next day and this week we got over two inches of rain to insure that they will have a start. Don't know whether my green thumb will work but I tried.

Those of you who want to remember her in another way can also join me in contributing to the Lou Halsell Rodenberger Book Prize in Texas History and Literature being awarded by Texas Tech University Press. As you know Lou spent her life supporting Texas Women authors in her books and essays. It was her life and I know of no better way of encouraging Texas women authors than competing for this prize. Several have already contributed to this. We have three notable Texas women judging the entries for the first round. Dr. Phyllis Bridges, Fran Vick and Joyce Roach have agreed to accept that responsibility.

You can send tax-deductible donation to Texas Tech Foundation, Inc. through the Texas Tech University Press, Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037. Their web site is www.ttup.ttu.edu.