A Tribute to Gary Millwood

daninpd · December 21, 2014

I received seeds for Red Wolf in a recent trade and couldn't find much information about it. One of the folks here, Earl (or one of them), posted that he had gotten some seeds for that variety from Gary Millwood in the past. I corresponded with and traded with Gary for about 5 years before his death in 2013. So next year I'm going to grow Red Wolf, partly out of curiosity and mainly as a tribute to Gary Millwood.

The other part of my tribute is to copy here a email Gary sent me, Christmas, 2011, and with this I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year:

A friend sent this to me. I find it very moving and I hope you do as well!

Subject: Written on Christmas Eve, 1531 ~ Fra Giovanni

Peace and blessings, always,

Gary

Written on Christmas Eve, 1513

I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep.

There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much,
very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can
come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven!
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant.
Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within
our reach, is joy. There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see.
And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver. But we, judging its gifts by their covering,
cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard. Remove the covering, and you
will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power.
Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel's hand that brings it to you.
Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty, believe me, that angel's hand is there.
The gift is there and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Your joys, too,
be not content with them as joys. They, too, conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering,
that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it; that is all!
But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together,
wending through unknown country home.

And so, at this time, I greet you, not quite as the world sends greetings,
but with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and
forever, the day breaks and shadows flee away.

~ Fra Giovanni ~

mecktom · December 22, 2014

Thank you for posting that.

**carolyn137** · December 22, 2014

Thank you for posting about Gary for I do miss him so very much.

Carolyn

Zana · December 23, 2014

Thank you for posting and most of all for honouring Gary's memory with growing maters...something he so loved.

RIP Gary...your memory lives on.

Tormato · December 23, 2014

Thanks for posting.

The same day I read this, I read a message directed my way about Cabin PL. This tomato was sent to me from Gary Milwood, labeled as "Cabin".

If the real "Cabin" exists, it's supposed to be a RL, although it is not clear if the color is red or pink.

As a tribute to Gary Milwood, I'm (still) thinking Cabin PL needs a real name, so as to not be confused with Cabin.

Gary F.

Who would never be confused with Gary M.

daninpd · December 23, 2014

How about Millwood's Cabin PL? I can't remember seeing any varieties with his name attached.

Redbaron · December 23, 2014

Didn't Gary have a type of corn he rescued too?

Tomato Beth · December 24, 2014

What a lovely letter and quite a blessing.

December 21, 2014	#1
daninpd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prunedale, CA Posts: 134	A Tribute to Gary Millwood I received seeds for Red Wolf in a recent trade and couldn't find much information about it. One of the folks here, Earl (or one of them), posted that he had gotten some seeds for that variety from Gary Millwood in the past. I corresponded with and traded with Gary for about 5 years before his death in 2013. So next year I'm going to grow Red Wolf, partly out of curiosity and mainly as a tribute to Gary Millwood. The other part of my tribute is to copy here a email Gary sent me, Christmas, 2011, and with this I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year: *A friend sent this to me. I find it very moving and I hope you do as well!* Subject: Written on Christmas Eve, 1531 ~ Fra Giovanni Peace and blessings, always, Gary Written on Christmas Eve, 1513 I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant. Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see. And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to look! Life is so generous a giver. But we, judging its gifts by their covering, cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard. Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power. Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel's hand that brings it to you. Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty, believe me, that angel's hand is there. The gift is there and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Your joys, too, be not content with them as joys. They, too, conceal diviner gifts. Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it; that is all! But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country home. And so, at this time, I greet you, not quite as the world sends greetings, but with profound esteem and with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and shadows flee away. ~ Fra Giovanni ~ __________________ I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left.

December 22, 2014	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Thank you for posting about Gary for I do miss him so very much. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

December 23, 2014	#4
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Thank you for posting and most of all for honouring Gary's memory with growing maters...something he so loved. RIP Gary...your memory lives on. __________________ Zana ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ There is a fine line between genius and crazy. I like to use that line as a jump rope. ~Anonymous (but I totally agree with this! LOL) Forgive and Forget? I'm neither Jesus or nor do I have Alzheimers. ~ Anonymous Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace. -- Dr. Albert Schweitzer

December 23, 2014	#6
daninpd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prunedale, CA Posts: 134	How about Millwood's Cabin PL? I can't remember seeing any varieties with his name attached. __________________ I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left.

December 23, 2014	#7
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Didn't Gary have a type of corn he rescued too? __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

December 22, 2014	#2
mecktom Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southern Virginia Posts: 342	Thank you for posting that.

December 23, 2014	#5
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	Thanks for posting. The same day I read this, I read a message directed my way about Cabin PL. This tomato was sent to me from Gary Milwood, labeled as "Cabin". If the real "Cabin" exists, it's supposed to be a RL, although it is not clear if the color is red or pink. As a tribute to Gary Milwood, I'm (still) thinking Cabin PL needs a real name, so as to not be confused with Cabin. Gary F. Who would never be confused with Gary M.

December 24, 2014	#8
Tomato Beth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: PA 6b Posts: 277	What a lovely letter and quite a blessing. __________________ I'm a geek and a mom, and I write about it at Confessions of a Geeky Mom: http://confessionsofageekymom.com/