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I honestly thought a small veggie garden would be a good way to bond with Mandy, my seven-year-old granddaughter. Her father, my son, had agreed to till the soil and provide the seeds and tools.

I had just recently moved in with them after the passing of my husband and wanted very much to develop a close relationship with her.

With big, floppy hats and gloved hands, Mandy and I sowed the seeds. We planted two rows each of corn, cucumbers, bell peppers, and summer squash.

The very next day, Mandy came to me in tears. "Grandma, the garden doesn't work!"

"What are you talking about?"

"There's no vegetables!"

"It's too soon," I said with a grinning chuckle. "It will be a few days before we see anything growing."

"I want it now, Grandma!"

"Come on now, Mandy. I told you in the beginning it would take time."

"Yeah, but I didn't know it would take this long."

"It's only been one day."

"You lied, Grandma. I did all that planting and watering for nothing!" She turned with that and stomped out of my room.

Shaking my head with a smile, I peeked out my window at the garden. Everything appeared to be okay and I knew that in a few days, green sprouts would pop up all over it and Mandy would see I didn't lie to her.

Her attitude toward me was a bit peevish until the morning when she came charging into my room, shouting, "Something is happening in the garden, Grandma! Come look!"

Her little hands grabbed hold of my housecoat as she tried to pull me from the room. "I'm coming, Mandy. I'm coming! Go on. I'm right behind you."

I followed her to the back yard and just as I suspected, it was covered with growth. "I told you, Mandy. It takes time."

"But there's no vegetables, Grandma. We planted grass!"

Laughing softly I said, "It starts off like grass, but it will turn to plants soon. Now, we need to water it before the sun gets too high."

We talked and laughed while watering the garden and were beginning to bond. I couldn't wait to experience her excitement, which I knew would happen every day as the garden grew.

That evening, a severe weather system passed over. The next morning when I looked out at what used to be the backyard, but was now a small lake, I knew the garden was ruined and I knew Mandy would blame this terrible thing on me. I had tried so hard and was looking forward to sharing the experience with my only grandchild.

Tears welled up in my eyes and were falling down my face when I was startled by a touch.

Mandy had slipped her little hand into mine. I was embarrassed and laughed awkwardly as we stared out the sliding glass doors at the garden stakes that fell during the storm and floated around the flooded yard. To my surprise, she put her arms around me, squeezing me close, saying, "Don't cry, Grandma. We don't have to grow vegetables. Daddy knows where we can buy them already growed!"

I laughed out loud and scooped her up, snuggling her close, "I love you Mandy."

"I love you too, Grandma."

Learn more about this author, Pat Lunsford.
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