The autumn of 1944, Danny Wilson had completed his training Santa Rosa, California, qualified as a twin and single engine fighter pilot. He’d been flying the P-38 Lightning, which is brother Dale had called “a man’s dream.” Dan was about to begin processing out and was awaiting overseas orders.
His folks, Clabe and Leora Wilson, had sent a photo of the little house they’d bought on an acreage near Perry, Iowa. “The new place looks like it can be fixed up to look very modern with a white picket fence and all,” Dan wrote. “Just a little paint, a few chickens, a couple of four o’clocks in the front yard, and a rusty pump, cow, and corn patch in the back.”
When I read his letter, I could smell the clean fresh aroma of Four O’Clocks. I haven’t grown any for several years, but they are delightful little bushy plants. Native to Peru and cultivated for hundreds of years, this drought-tolerant plant is named for the time of day its flowers open –give or take a couple of hours. In Iowa they’re annuals, but I collected their round black seeds every autumn to sow the next spring.
I’ve been going through Grandma Leora’s diaries. She mentioned planting Four O’Clocks in one of her flowerbeds around the little house in Guthrie Center. I should start planting these cheerful easy-to-grow flowers again.
I enjoyed your stories from Leora’s letters. Now I can’t wait to read your stories from those diaries!
Bless you for saying that, Dennis! They don’t start until 1958, and they are filled with notes about the weather, taking bouquets of her own flowers to church (every Sunday, if she had something blooming), club meetings, patching at the hospital, everything she ever planted (and hoed around), painting her steps, washing and pinning up her mother’s hair. What will I ever make of all of these details?
Yes, start planting them again to bring back the smell and the memories.
Oh, I’d love to have the energy to garden again!
I don’t believe I’d ever heard of four o’clock flowers…but I love it! 🥰🌞🥰
And to have a young man, about to go into combat, know their name!
Right!!! 🥰❤️🥰
What a treasured first house photo! I remember thinking how wonderful it was that the kids knew how important it was for Clabe and Leora to get their own place.
Yes, thank you, Pete. All seven kids were so delighted for them, knowing their struggles through the Great Depression.
Beautiful flowers and beautiful story!!!
Thank you, Linda!
I’ve never heard of four o’clocks. I should check them out. They sound and (look) lovely.
I wonder whether I knew them from Grandma’s house. She planted so many varieties of annuals and perennials in that small yard!
Such a nice house, Joy, and the four o’clock flowers are beautiful.
It was tiny but evidently well-built. No electricity until the oldest son wired it after the war. It’s in disrepair these days, but still there. Thank you, Tim.
We have some native perennial four o’clocks, but I don’t think they have much scent. Those annuals love very pretty. I wonder if they’d grow here.
I didn’t know about the perennials! But my sister in law from Midland, CA was just here and she has them, but said the blossoms aren’t as showy. Thanks, Eilene!
Clabe and Leora’s house had a generous porch on the front. Dan was right-a little dressing up and a few four o’clocks would have transfigured this home-and five acres! 🙂
It was their very first home. Clabe spent months straightening fences and painting the house and several out buildings!