The Hidden Garden
by RC DeWinter
Title
The Hidden Garden
Artist
RC DeWinter
Medium
Painting - Digital Oils-paintography-photopainting
Description
Copyright 2016 RC deWinter ~ All Rights Reserved
The Legacy of Lenora Greene
If you grow up in Hopkinton, it's a given:
when you're old enough you're going to go looking for the garden.
The legends been woven into town history for generations.
Some people say it's all nonsense, gossip fodder for the gullible;
others insist it's true, and the chosen will find it.
Nobody's found it yet.
The hardheaded realists say that's because it doesn't exist;
the believers, unshakeable, say the appearance of the chosen
is as inevitable as the Second Coming,
although how they square rockribbed Christianity
with belief in the prophecy of a witch escapes me.
I don't blame you for looking at me like that,
but let me tell you the tale;
then you can make up your own mind.
Back at the turn of the 20th century,
a woman named Lenora Greene bought the Waller estate.
The Wallers were one of the founding families
of Hopkinton - named for Josiah Hopkin,
a peddler who panned a few flakes of gold
out of Bear Creek and convinced a bunch of people
to settle there and make their fortunes.
Nobody got rich from panning the cold clear water,
but the soil was fertile and farms sprouted up
and pretty soon there was a school
and a post office and a board of selectmen.
Peter Waller was a leading light in the community
and owned half the town by the time he turned his toes up.
The estate eventually fell to his great-great-grandson Edmund,
who fancied himself a continental and -
all that history and money notwithstanding -
too fine for a small out-of-the way place like Hopkinton.
He sold everything to Lenora Greene
and sailed off to Europe, never to be seen again.
Nobody knew a thing about her
except she obviously had the wherewithal to buy him out.
She was closemouthed and lived alone except for her cat
and Lemuel Porter, her man of all work,
who took care of the house and grounds.
Lenora's passion was painting.
She sent away to New York and Paris for her supplies;
The town knew this because Mabel Leonard,
the postmistress, was an incurable gossip.
And Lenora sent away for more than just her art supplies.
Mabel told anyone who would listen about the many packages
from all over the world, with strange names listed in the return,
Lenora received.
Eventually and inevitably, Lenora found out
her postal transactions were serving as entertainment for the town,
and one fine May morning she motored down to the post office.
Nobody knows exactly what she said to Mabel,
but after that we heard no more about Lenora's mysterious packages.
Mable did go so far as to say she was convinced Lenora was a witch,
trafficking in the devil's work, but when pressed, wouldn't elaborate.
In fact, Mabel became so quiet in general people began to worry about her.
Several passed uneventfully, but small towns being what they are,
that thread in history's tapestry was soon richly embroidered.
Nobody's sure exactly who overheard Lemuel talking to Sam Handy,
who owned the feed and grain, about Lenora's garden,
but soon there was some gobbledygook going around
about how there was treasure hidden in that plot
where she set up her easel to paint plein air.
Naturally, Lenora herself eventually got wind of this as well
and responded in spectacular fashion.
She showed up at a town meeting on the budget,
and, when she was recognized by the chair,
walked to the front of the room and faced her assembled neighbors.
"Since tonight's topic is money, I thought this
would be the right time and place to tell you about my garden."
There was a collective buzz as eyebrows hit hairlines,
but Lenora ignored this and swept on.
"I find myself ready for a change," she announced,
"and have decided to donate the land on which my house sits
to the town preservation trust.
The house itself is going to be razed - not a stone left standing.
My garden shall remain, along with what lies buried there.
But I shall be gone."
At this the room erupted.
George Mills, the town's historian,
jumped up to protest the destruction of a historic building.
Reverend Hall shouted "Witchcraft!" in a voice that rang the rafters,
and everyone else was buzzing like a hive of agitated bees.
Lenora Greene stood silent
until the assembly realized she hadn't finished yet.
When the room quieted down, she continued,
"One of you - the chosen -
perhaps no one in this room at this moment, but in some future time,
will find my garden and what awaits you there.
Yes, there is a fortune to be had. And now I bid you farewell.
You shall see me no more."
Wrapping her cloak around her shoulders, she left the hall.
After a few stunned moments everyone rushed out into the street
to see her being driven off in her car, which was packed to the rafters
with trunks, the cat sitting in Lenora's lap and Lemuel driving.
And that's the tale of the legacy of Lenora Greene.
The house was torn down, the land donated;
the garden is still hidden.
The believers - to derisive amusement of the unbelievers -
are still awaiting the chosen.
I can tell you nothing more.
Perhaps you came here because you needed to hear this story.
Perhaps - for as Will Shakespeare said,
"There are more things in Heaven and earth
than are dreamt of in your philosophy" -
you are the chosen.
~ copyright 2016 RC deWinter
This painting has been FEATURED in
All Art Welcome
Artist News
Arts Fantastic World
Artwork Manipulated Digitally
Creative Digital Art Community
Fine Arts Professionals
Forward Exposure
Gardening Perfection
Glimpses of Autumn
Photo Manipulation Artistry
Photograph Manipulation
Second Life Photographers
Tell Tall Tales
Thanks to the group hosts for their encouragement and support.
garden, landscape, autumn, flowers, plants, afternoon, sunlight, easel, wall, vines, rustic, vintage, antique, old-fashioned, panorama, outdoors, nature, country, botanical, sunlight, Victorian, classical, RC deWinter, deWinter, wall art
Uploaded
January 28th, 2016
Statistics
Viewed 2,341 Times - Last Visitor from Pittsburgh, PA on 03/02/2024 at 4:15 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Comments (18)
Bunny Clarke
A beautiful painting filled with light and beauty. I love the story. There are so many people who would have wanted to pull off this result due to busybodies. :o)
Gardening Perfection
Congratulations RC deWinter!~ Your lovely garden painting, "The Hidden Garden" is featured on the home page, Gardening Perfection for it's beauty and quality for all to see, "Liked / Faved Forever!" Thank you for submitting this lovely work!~ Descriptions' a fantastic read!!
Aline Halle-Gilbert
I enjoyed reading the story about this painting. Love the colors , contrast of colors , the luminosty and the mystery athmosphere arount it !
Hanne Lore Koehler
Fantastic digital garden creation, Gina! Fabulous colors and mysterious light - perfect for your story description! L/F/T/P
Sherri Of Palm Springs
Beautiful Gina, your light on the flowers are so pretty, but all of this image is beautiful Sherri fl
Reynold Jay
I love this one RC. So peaceful for me. It could do well on any wall anywhere in the world. Well done --a gem. FAV
Susan Brown Slizys art signature name
So as WS said I perhaps am the chosen.Fun reading . Interesting Garden! I think Lenora G is related to Rappaccinis' daughter who grew poison in her garden. F/V
RC DeWinter replied:
LOL..I have a poem about her, too, Susan, thanks much. Glad you enjoyed. If you ARE the chosen, get digging!
Sandi OReilly
Wow, RC, this is just gorgeous!! Love your artwork and presentation/light, F/L
RC DeWinter replied:
Glad you like what I've done here, Sandi...you would laugh to see the picture from which I created it. Not much like! Thank you.
Deb Halloran
Oh my goodness, Gina!! What a gorgeous digital painting with beautiful colors and textures. You are so talented...nicely done. v/f