Have you ever really thought about the topiary? It is a beautifully trimmed plant that clearly takes the shape of something, anything. They also happen to make me very happy.

The exact origin of the topiary is unknown, but they have been traced back to Roman times and even the ancient Egyptians. After hitting a few rough spots in history and almost vanishing, the English monks dutifully (and thankfully) kept this art alive.

One day not long after Spaceman and I were married, we went out shopping for a grave sight (don’t all newlyweds do this on a sunny afternoon?). To be fair, he is extremely organized and wanted to be sure all of our critical points were covered in the case of an emergency (what a romantic!). As we drove around, we came across some headstones that were topiaries, what? Never seeing this before, I was intrigued and delighted. I realized right then — this is what I want! This way anyone who stops by for a visit will see life and smile. Now, what should the shape be?