Marilyn Cudmore smiled as she met her friends at her East Sooke home to embark on what has become an annual project to enhance their rural community while memorializing Cudmore’s late husband.
“My husband passed away three years ago around Easter,” said Cudmore. “He loved daffodils and I decided to plant some bulbs along East Sooke Road every year as a memorial to him and, at the same time, as a neighbourhood enhancement project.”
Cudmore’s description of planting “some bulbs” doesn’t exactly capture her efforts.
"I guess that, so far, I’ve done about two kilometres along East Sooke Road with maybe a thousand bulbs,” Cudmore said, seemingly not wanting to overstate her accomplishment to date.
And as much as Cudmore’s efforts to date have been extraordinary, this year’s efforts will create an even more spectacular display when spring arrives.
In part, at least it’s because, this time, Cudmore has some enthusiastic helpers.
“We all belong to this book club and Marilyn told us about the project during our book club meeting. She was a little discouraged because, for some reason, a lot of the blooms didn’t come up last year. We talked about it and this year we decided to get together to help her,” said Nina Din.
The group gathered at Cudmore’s Tide View Road home on Sunday afternoon complete with reflective vests, work gloves, shovels and a copious amount of obvious enthusiasm.
“We’re planting more than 500 bulbs along parts of East Sooke Road,” said Din. “I think it’s a lovely idea – a wonderful memorial for Marilyn’s husband and beautification project that’s going to enhance the whole community.”
The book club, by the way, is impressive in its own right. Every month whichever of the dozen or so members’ turn it is to host the meeting selects a book which all of the ladies read and discuss.
Mandatory food and wine are included in each meeting, but it would be a mistake to assume that the refreshments are a prime motivator for the club. The members have the same enthusiasm for reading as they displayed for planting daffodils. That’s evidenced by the fact that they’re all quick to recount some aspects of a recent book they’ve read.
“You have to read Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World, said club founder Joan Traversy. “It’s the book we last read and it’s absolutely wonderful.”
Hearing this assessment, Din agreed and made a point of stressing that the club has read a host of books that span a wide spectrum of topics and interests.
The bonds that the club has fostered were apparent as the ladies set to work planting the hundreds of daffodil bulbs. Despite the overcast coolness of the day, their spirits were high, and the camaraderie was palpable.
“We’re happy to be out here and continue on with this project. I have the feeling that it’s just going to continue to grow,” said Cudmore. “It’s our way of giving the neighbourhood a spring surprise.”
