By Colleen Fielding
Welcome to Colleen’s Corner. This is a column meant for fun and some information About myself: I am a Freelance Photographer you often see me on the side of the road or in various places taking photos of different things animals, birds, places, people etc. l have lived in Lumby just over 8 years you have seen my photos in the newspaper (Lumby Valley Times) and once in awhile in the Vernon Morning Star, and the Lumby Art Gallery. Photography is my passion. Disclaimer: The information on some of my photos that I write about a lot of times come from the Internet or books I research them, hopefully the facts are as close to the truth as I can come.
A couple of weeks ago in one of my articles I was talking about seeing my swing again, I briefly mentioned my red arbor. It was still standing altogether at that time, but not anymore. As the snow very slowly melts in my backyard I went outside the other day and here is my poor arbor getting ready to fall apart and fall down looking like the great leaning tower of Pisa. The rain came the other day and melted some more of the snow, I came to the realization that the snow was helping the arbor to stand up. There is still some snow near the bottom of the arbor once it’s gone, well I hate to say it but then I think the arbor will just fall down and fall apart.
The arbor has had a long run, it was about 14 years ago when I had it given to me by a friend. It was pretty rusty and was missing a bar when I got it. That was okay. I still liked it. I brought it home, sanded it down, went out and bought some rustoleum spray paint a bright red color. For many years it sat gloriously in my yard, holding up my tall Bee Balm, with some Clematis of different colors wrapped around it, Hummingbird feeders and a couple of wind chimes hanging down from it. It was always a beautiful sight, attracting Hummingbirds, Butterflies and Bees. It was also a great resting place for other types of birds. I could see it while sitting on my swing and in other various places in my yard. It was quite lovely standing tall and colorful.
Seeing it now as it stands on it’s last leg, the words floating through my head “that nothing lasts forever”. Once the weather gets nicer I have my outside work cut out for me, besides yard work, what ever part of the arbor that is still standing if any at all will have to be taken down and disposed of.
Thank you red arbor for helping to make my yard look beautiful for so many years, it will be sad not to see you there anymore, but maybe down the road I will find another one that will give me as much pleasure as you have.