The Story: The Blue Toolbox
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway
Toolboxes are sturdy things. They hold what we might not need all at once but what we reach for when something breaks, needs repairing, or longs to be made new. They carry preparation and hope in the same space. This one, with its weathered edges and chipped blue paint, felt different when I found it, like it had already carried a story.
The moment I saw it, I fell in love. I was tempted to keep it for myself, but that isn’t what this work is about. I am doing this to share with you, reader.
The color blue immediately brought me back to childhood, the blue dress I wore on my first day of school, the little nap mat my mother had sewn and trimmed in white eyelet, the Smurfs lunchbox that carried apple juice in a small Thermos. Blue, for me, was the color of home, of being cared for.
So when I planted this oriental arborvitae, pansies, ornamental cabbage, and Asiatic jasmine inside, I thought about the things we carry in our hearts, the tools placed there by those who loved us most. Of course, there are dents and rust, the marks of living. We all have them. But it is the goodness placed within us: the kindness, the warmth, the love, that lets us endure.
Some say blue is a sad color. To me, it is comfort. It is the steady tone of faithfulness, the kind of peace that wraps around you like your mother’s voice or the hum of a familiar song. I hope your toolbox was filled the way mine was.
Care Guide
Light: Full to part sun, 4–6 hours daily.
Water: Keep soil evenly moist, allowing the surface to dry slightly between waterings.
Environment: Outdoors with good air circulation; bring to sheltered space during harsh weather.
Freeze Protection: When temperatures drop below 32°F, move the toolbox to a protected porch or inside near a window with bright light. Bring indoors, if possible. Lightly water before freezing weather to help roots retain warmth.
Encouragement: Tend what you carry. The tools within you — love, grace, endurance — will always be enough to build something good.
I prayed over this vessel and for you, the one holding it now. May its blue remind you that comfort and courage can live side by side, and may God bless whatever you are mending today.
With you in the soil and the story,
Ellie
A Living Story Disclaimer
Each Restoried Garden begins its journey in my hands but continues its story with you. Every vessel has been cleaned, prepared, and planted with care; however, once it leaves my garden, its life depends on your unique environment and tending. Please note that weather, watering, and placement all influence longevity, and I cannot be responsible for plant performance or wear over time. These pieces are meant to live, grow, and change, a reflection that no story truly ends; it simply takes root somewhere new.
