She crouched next to the elderly lady and watched as her hands used deliberate, trained movements to collect just the right stems. Working gently, almost ceremoniously, Mrs. Elmira treated each petal she touched as if it were a fragile gem. "Do you want to help me gather some?" she asked. Liora nodded enthusiastically, and her face lit up. Mrs. Elmira took a pair of little shears that were the perfect size for a child out of her basket. "Now keep in mind that you should always choose the stems that are bold and tall, the ones that reach for the sun."Liora carefully searched for the flowers that seemed to glow the most in the light. "Those are the best bundles." She gently cut them and put each stem in the basket. She liked the crisp, little sound that each snip made, as if the plant was saying "thank you" for the care. As she worked, she spoke to Mrs. Elmira about everything that was on her mind, such as the kids gathering at the well, the animals roaming around her grandmother's garden, and the sound of the windmill spinning in the air. Mrs. Elmira listened closely, nodding in agreement and occasionally thinking back to her own childhood, when the trees in Oakmist Hollow were much shorter, and the village was much quieter.

Liora stood up and brushed the leaf pieces off her skirt when the basket was nearly full. Mrs. Elmira used twine to tie the lavender into neat bunches. Liora snatched one from her. "This is it," she said. Liora felt like she had gotten a precious present as she held the bundle to her chest: "A little piece of the morning to keep with you." She thanked the old woman and promised to come back soon before going along the path that went through the purple fields. The route finally led to a little wooden footbridge that crossed a lovely, clear stream. Liora paused on the bridge and leaned against the railing to look at the river below.