LINDEN, Texas - Cass County 's Courthouse Square in Linden has six flower beds and 19 individual flower containers, large and small, around its four sides.
These flowers - growing with so much concrete around - present an immediate blessing and problem. The blessing is that the center of town looks colorful and alive. Cass County's county seat seems welcoming and cared for, even if temporarily empty of people.
The problem is watering. How does one get these flowers to grow and live during 110 degrees of summer?
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The answer to the water problem is Ruth King Brown. She's a one-person flower-keeper. She provides water daily. Lots of it.
She also seems to have her hands in the dirt, leaves and buds at some point almost every day.
"Ruth was doing so much on her own as a one-person volunteer that we hired her as a part-time person to help with downtown matters," said Allie Anderson, Linden's Main Street administrator and the town's community development coordinator.
Downtown matters could have been neglected during these viral stay-at-home days. But Brown has kept tending to the flowers. She had been part of the Linden Pride group of volunteers who were organized to look for things to do in the downtown area. That group has now been staying at home, too.
So Brown has had plenty to do. Her flower arrangements are also important. She grows plants and flowers of major size. Sometimes the plants she chooses will have leaves larger than the container itself.
Flower displays had been planned for and designed by a Main Street design committee in charge of planting, Anderson said.
"So Ruth knew in advance what and where flowers might be placed. But she's kind of doubled the number of plants that are growing. She's enthusiastic and really makes a difference."
Through the years, Linden's Garden Club has been one big help for flowers on the square. One difficulty for the club, however, was that there was no water outlet on the square. Water had to be transported and so the number and kinds of flower arrangements were smaller.
Recently, Brown has seen to it that city employees have installed a spigot on the square and now water is closer. She's confident she can keep the flowers growing throughout the summer heat.
Linden's shop owners and town supporters have flowers on the square, too., in windows and counters inside offices.
Attorney John McIntyre's office is just a little off the square, a few doors down from the center. And he has the spirit, as well. He has nine flower plants in pots in front of his office door.
They probably help his clients feel better, coming and going.
And during slow moments awaiting a legal matter?
McIntyre can stay busy watering his plants, too.