Mr. Parsley was an environmentalist of the first order. Everything was green from his thumb, through his wheelbarrow of repurposed steel and rubber, to his clothes made of recycled lawn clippings. Thus all things green responded to his careful stewardship.

Attempting repairs to his back garden wall – tall to keep out the gawkers (he often gardened in his own “natural” attire) and discarded plastic water bottles – he put out his back. The cherry tree grimaced at the loud crack, having recently suffered an injury itself.

Conspiring with wheelbarrow, ivy, and certain other garden inhabitants, the garden mended it’s own wall while Mr. Parsley was mending his back.

“Surprise,” garden gnomes cried when Mr. Parsley could finally hobble out his back door again.

(c) Lorraine

Written in honour of Earth Day (Saturday April 22, 2017) for Sunday Photo Fiction. Image: © John Brand