Cycling home the other day, I spotted a lupine plant growing all alone in someone’s front garden. Not a very common flower to see in Dublin, but it made me so happy to have a little reminder of home.
{Can you tell we’re heading to Maine for a visit soon? Beware of more Maine-ish posts for the next few weeks, I get a little homesick once we book the flights!}
I couldn’t help but think of this book I loved growing up.
The story goes a little like this:
For those unfamiliar: the book is set in Maine and tells the story of Alice Rumphius, an old woman who (can you believe it?) was once a small girl. Young Alice tells her grandfather that when she grows up, she wants to travel the world and live by the sea, just like he had done. But he tells her that there is one more thing that she must also do, and that is “something to make the world more beautiful.”
So Alice goes off and sees the world and does many great things and then comes back to live in a house by the sea. All of her dreams realized, except that one — she still hasn’t figured out her way to make the world more beautiful. The story continues until Alice recognizes that the joy she gets from seeing beautiful flowers could be spread — literally — by spreading lupine seeds wherever she goes.
Growing up, I always liked to imagine that The Lupine Lady planted all the lupines we’d see in fields across the state. It’s such a romantic image, and a very noble take on leaving a legacy.
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{little book summary from here}
6 Comments
This sounds like an absolutely lovely book!
Hello old China Village neighbor! Though I’m stateside, I know what you mean about that longing for Maine. New York City is far cry from our little village. Maybe we’ll see you up in that neck of the woods when you’re “home.”
Hi Katie! I do understand how NYC could seem just as far away as Dublin! We’ll be home the first two weeks of July and hope we’ll see you while we’re soaking up Maine! Fire pit??
Emily, I have a vague memory of giving you that book! I was entranced by the fields of lupine on a visit to you and your family in Maine. Then I came upon the Miss Rumphius book and loved it. I do know for sure that I bought it and it was most likely for you and/or Carolyn. I planted lupine a couple of times but did not have success in my garden. I am so pleased that it has a special place in your memories.
Mary Cath – that book has such a special place in our family so thank you! I was so surprised to see a plant in Dublin – I thought it was a magical Maine plant since it grows like crazy there!
It is a beautiful book—one of those that you enjoy as a child but becomes part of the literature of your life. We have a shelf full!