GABRIEL IN MY GARDEN


Gabriel's cup should serve as the fountain opening and has in the past. Unfortunately, we've had lots of problems with leaking hoses so at them moment, the fountain portion isn't operational.



About 9 years ago I set out on a mission of sorts to find the perfect garden statue. I knew that I wanted an angel but it had to have the right look. Since a marble angel was out of the question I knew that it would have to be concrete but look like it belonged in a churchyard or cemetery...So began my quest...I searched high and low at garden centers and tombstone companies( yes...tombstone companies) but they either far exceeded my budget or just simply looked wrong...Imagine my surprise when driving east to visit my parents, infant son( at the time) in tow, we stumbled upon a family run concrete statuary shop and out front stood the most beautiful concrete angel! My quest was over! It looked the part of a messenger so I called him Gabriel...I loved this statue, which also turned out to be a fountain, from the moment I first saw it from the road. I knew we had to buy it right away but the problem was that we were in a small Toyota and I knew there was no way that we could get it home with us plus,it weighed a ton and my dear hubby would need help...So...hubby told me that he would have to line up some help to retrieve the heavenly being. A week later we returned with a van and hubby's father...They nearly broke their poor backs getting it into the van, even with the help of the man at the statuary shop, and they began to stress about how they would go about getting it out of the van. That, they knew, was going to be even more challenging than getting the statue in...When they arrived at our house, they opened the back doors and proceeded with grunting, groaning, and straining every muscle to get Gabriel out of the van...Suddenly, a man driving on the street pulled over, hopped out of his truck and immediately offered assistance. Now, it's hard enough to line up people you know to help you move something but this man volunteered to help perfect strangers move a 5 foot tall concrete garden statue...Hum...candidate for Good Samaritan, I would say... Without his help, I fear Gabriel may have been dropped on the sidewalk...Unfortunately, we never got his name or knew where this man came from...I wanted to get his address and send him some sort of thank you note, at the very least, but I had put my son down in the house and wasn't there when he left...Since the statue arrived here, it's been moved only once and that time it took 4 men to move it..."He" now stands among English Ivy and box woods and serves as guardian over our house. This statue always calms me. It truly has that quality. I love to sit out in our courtyard in front of him and listen to the wind blow through the trees. Sometimes, just looking at my concrete Gabriel, reminds me to thank God for the ministry of Angels...Especially for Gabriel, the ultimate messenger...