The "Grandpap's Backyard" Story

It was an ordinary day. Out collecting Japanese beetles in my grandpap's back yard. My grandpap lived in the south end of the city in a row home on South Prince Street. His house was a block from Rebman's Store which was famous for their Christmas displays and their Easter candy. My grandpap's back yard was filled with rose bushes of all colors and sizes. Needless to say, they attracted the beetles. He would use traps to catch the beetles, but there were still hundreds for me to catch. I would put them in a small glass bottle and take them home with me to watch until they died. Did punch a few small air holes in the top of the bottle, but they died anyway. He used the rose petals to make his famous wine. The stuff was extremely potent, but did have a sweet taste to it. He also had a tree close to the middle of his yard that had cigars on it. At least that is what I thought they were. The tree was a catalpa tree that had seed pods which grew to be about a foot long. They were green, but as they died in the fall, they turned brown, and that is when I thought you smoked them. Tried to smoke one of them one time, but that's another story. The yard was as wide as his house which was about 25 feet. Had a cement walk down the one side that led to the alleyway at the rear of his property. At the rear of his property was a white-washed fence which was taller than me. I got to help him white-wash it once in a while. I loved to visit at his house and play with my Aunt Lois is his back yard. At times we would venture into the alley for a game of kickball with the neighborhood kids. I pass by his house often on my way to the Chesapeake Bay and often wonder if the roses are still blooming or the cigar tree is still bearing the green seed pods. Might have to stop sometime just to see! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs are mom and dad after their wedding in grandpap's back yard on Prince St. and the seedpods of the catalpa tree.