Where Lilacs Still Bloom
One woman, an impossible dream, and the faith it took to see it through.
German immigrant and farm wife Hulda Klager possesses only an eighth-grade education—and a burning desire to create something beautiful. What begins as a hobby to create an easy-peeling apple for her pies becomes Hulda’s driving purpose: a time-consuming interest in plant hybridization that puts her at odds with family and community, as she challenges the early twentieth-century expectations for a simple housewife.
Through the years, seasonal floods continually threaten to erase her Woodland, Washington garden and a series of family tragedies cause even Hulda to question her focus. In a time of practicality, can one person’s simple gifts of beauty make a difference?
Based on the life of Hulda Klager, Where Lilacs Still Bloom is a story of triumph over an impossible dream and the power of a generous heart.
“Beauty matters… it does. God gave us flowers for a reason. Flowers remind us to put away fear, to stop our rushing and running and worrying about this and that, and for a moment, have a piece of paradise right here on earth.”
MY REVIEW: "Where Lilacs Still Bloom: A Novel", by Jane Kirkpatrick, is based on the remarkable true life story of Hulda Klager. A German immigrant and a "farm wife" with only an eighth-grade education, Hulda's natural intellect and intuition, along with a burning curiosity, allowed her to develop hundreds of hybrid fruit and flower varieties, especially lilacs. The book is beautifully written--an inspiring and life-affirming tribute to the courage and spirit of the amazing Hulda Klager. The book begins in 1948, with a brief prologue during which the flood waters are rising and threatening to destroy Hulda's work of a lifetime. She is eighty-five years old, and as she looks down on the surging waters from the safety of a bluff, she recalls her life story. What a story it is! As the book unfolds, we share with Hulda her triumphs and sorrows, and her indomitable spirit shines throughout the years. In her own way, she was a pioneer for women's rights, a scientist, an environmentalist, and an example for anyone who won't take no for a final answer. There is a pure, timeless joy in putting a seed into the ground, nurturing its growth, and watching it come into its full glory. Hulda did all that and more, ever adding newer and more sustainable plant varieties that she first cultivated in her agile mind. The real Hulda survived until 1960, when she passed away at the age of 96. I am now in my early fifties, and I cannot imagine living four more decades, much less being vibrant and vital until the very end. Hulda outlived her beloved husband Frank, all of her children, and all of her brothers and sisters. Her gardens were restored after the disastrous flood of 1948, and to this day, they remain open to the public. The "Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens" are a National Historic Site located in Woodland, Washington. The "Hulda Klager Lilac Society" revived her annual “Lilac Days” each spring when the lilacs come into bloom, selling lilac plants to visitors just as when Hulda Klager was there. As generations come and go, Hulda's sweetly scented legacy continues to enrich lives with its beauty. https://lilacgardens.com/
Book Copy Gratis WaterBrook Press
Jane Kirkpatrick
Jane Kirkpatrick is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 books, including The Daughter’s Walk and Where Lilacs Still Bloom. A lively speaker, Kirkpatrick is a frequent keynote presenter for conferences, women's retreats,fund-raisers and workshops. Jane believes that our lives are the stories that others read first and she encourages groups to discover the power of their own stories to divinely heal and transform. She lives with her husband Jerry in Central Oregon.
http://www.jkbooks.com
No comments:
Post a Comment