Last of yard awards
By ALLAN TINKER
With fern peonies spent and drooping, Helen and Herb Grosz’ flowers in the front yard showed their last bit of color from among their pottery and ceramic friends. A planter stood in the corner alongside the deck and a little hog decorated the far end of the flower bed. They are the last to receive the 2014 Yard of the Week award in McClusky.
Herb, "the Mobil guy" didn’t care what was planted or if there were weeds, said Helen. He didn’t eat many vegetables either, so gardening and flowers were up to her. Helen, the grocery lady with 39 years of working for the Grenz family in their Super Valu store (Willie and Lorene for the longest; Terry and Diane the last) was in care of the yard work.
Helen liked the peonies and petunias, favorite spots of color to welcome family and friends to their busy home. She used Miracle Grow on the plants and Weed and Feed on the lawn. "My mom always had a large garden on the farm. She also had lots of flowers in her garden," said Helen. She learned at her mother’s side.
The couple moved to town in about 1959, Helen said. They raised their family and Herb retired in 1992. With Herb’s health issues, Helen wasn’t sure about how much longer she would be able to do the work she enjoys outside, as well as caring for the house. The peonies, a perennial plant, will be waiting for spring along with the couple, to see what the next year brings to their home in McClusky.
