Then she went indoors because she had left a drawing on the kitchen table and wanted to finish it before supper.

Gardening began as Clara’s idea, a small task she could manage once her strength returned.

She wanted something outside that did not depend on a perfect result.

A neighbor brought a few plants with Clara’s permission.

There was no surprise crowd arriving to transform the property while she watched from the porch.

The work was modest: a patch cleared, some pots arranged, a bed whose edges were not especially straight.

Chloe wanted yellow flowers.