A Gift From the Garden

A while back I wrote a piece about a wonderful morning in the garden. Since then The Darling Rebecca and I have taken a creative writing class. We decided to revisit the story using what we learned in class. click (here) to go to the original post, enjoy.

I wandered out to the garden on one of those perfect mornings. The temperature was just right; the breeze was barely strong enough to spread the bouquet of new blossoms around the garden. I watered the berry bushes while Jack, the feline ruler of the garden,rolled around in my path aiming for a belly rub. 

The steam from my coffee, still hot in the mug, wafted up slowly and mingled with the scent of the roses. A hummingbird zipped by on its way to a breakfast of fuchsia nectar. Some mornings are very special indeed.

Jack complained loudly when I inadvertently squirted him. Deciding the front porch was a better place to spend His morning, he left in a huff. The peace of the morning was restored; it was then I heard a faint droning sound, like the buzz of a small electric fan, coming out the loganberries. A pair of beady little eyes grabbed a sneak peak from behind a berry leaf. Another cautious inch and out slipped a tiny female Anna's Hummingbird.

It’s no surprise to have hummers in the yard as they frequent the feeders scattered about the property.  It was what happened next that made me all warm and fuzzy.

I stood motionless as she floated over toward the shower nozzle of my hose. She hovered, looked at the water, turned towards me and then back at the water. Feeling no threat, she relaxed and proceeded to take a shower! She fluttered into the spray feet first, rinsing them in the sprinkles, floating up and then dipping back down again. Frozen, I watched as she wiggled her toes in the spray.

Toes finished - she dipped a little lower to allow the water to cascade over her tail-feathers. She fluttered a slow pirouette to make sure all the feathers were washed.

She then zipped off to the nearby crepe myrtle tree. It must be time for a bit of personal grooming, I thought.  

Now I’ve always had an affinity with birds and they seem to know they are safe around me. Even so, what happened next was extraordinary. She came back to continue her bath. She cautiously poked her head into the sprinkles and then moved all the way in to let the water flow over her completely.

I held my breath as she then flew to study the nozzle of my hose. She darted in and out trying very hard to find a perch. (The design of their feet makes it impossible for a hummingbird to walk or stand on a flat surface. They need to wrap their toes around a branch to rest.)

The nozzle I use, robbed from old Miracle Grow sprayer,

is bit large for a roost and it took her a few seconds to find a way to get the proper grip. Once on, she sat there for a few fleeting moments before continuing her bath. She flitted in and out of the flow of water a couple more times and then went back into the crepe myrtle to do a thorough chore of feather realignment.

I’m reminded again and again that it’s the little things that make life so satisfying, the moments which can make each day warm and special.  Be it the joy of a favorite-forgotten song playing on the radio, the pleasure of being able to help a little kid retrieve a can off the top shelf at the market, or being privileged to help a lady with her bath.  

To quote Ferris Bueller; “If you’re not careful, you’ll miss it.”

Then there Are KITTENS

I will admit to a fondness toward felines, I always have. And why not? Felines have held themselves in the highest order since before the time of Yore. We're talking the days of the Pharaohs here.

There is a saying "Cats were worshiped like gods, and they have never forgotten" I'm thinking it's true. I know there are a lot of DOG people out there but I submit cats and kittens have it over dogs and puppies. Allow me to explain:

Kittens know from birth that water goes on the inside not the outside.
Puppies just wade on in, lay down and absorb as much water as they can then wander over to where the people are and share the joy of water.

Kittens understand the sublime comfort of sleeping in a pile.
Dogs just spread out.

Kittens, no matter how small, intimadate dogs, no matter how big.

Kittens PURR!
Puppys lick

On the cute factor it's tough but I give the nod to kittens.
 
 I didn't say it was a runaway.

Kittens and puppies do have something in common, they can both find the heart in the most heartless of people, and that is a gift that keeps on giving.

Rescue a kitten or pup and you will have a friend for life, besides it's good for your heart, Cheers.

A Fresh Start

We, the Darling Rebecca and I, have started a creative writing class with the JC, so far we have written free form with and with out a theme, and about a candle. Below are our candle stories. Meant to be just a paragraph in length the instructions were plain "Write a one-paragraph only description of the lighted candle. Show us your candle so we can experience it with you. Be honest. Use specific words and sensory details as a way to focus rather than trying to aim for universal truths."
 

Mine,

Poor Thing

There it sits in its' little aluminum cup. A small flame burns, on the wax wicked up from the base, struggling to shed its' light on the papers on my desk. It seems to think this is the sole purpose of this little light. I wonder if it would be disappointed to learn the true reason it was lit was for an exercise in a creative writing class? That was my motive, I wonder, can a votive have a motive?

and The Darling Rebeccas'

It’s four am. As I make a cup of tea, the cats show up, yawning and moving slow. They know it’s too early for breakfast but then, it never hurts to check out what the human might be doing in the kitchen. I’ve lit the one sorry looking candle on the dining table rather than turn on the overhead lights. The glowing little puddle of light with its whiff of mountain springtime seems an appropriate passage between night and dawn. It’s just a warm spot to sit and sip, a delusion that it’s not really morning; I could still go back to bed, if I wanted. The tiny flame shudders as Charley Cat slinks by. Yes, the cat is on the table. Why not? He’s pretty good company. He can sit with me, lost in the flame, lost in thought, just sipping tea. It’s four am.  

We shall see where all of this leads but with new inspiration this should be fun, stay tooned (he he he)

Sometimes You Just Feel Warm...

So I was out watering the berries this morning. It felt like one of those special mornings, one where the temperature is just right. Just a hint of a breeze, barely enough to spread the scent of the flowers around the garden. The cat, laying in the pathway waiting for a belly rub and the coffee still hot in the mug. Very special indeed.

That's when I heard something in the "Logans" wasn't much but it was there. Slowly, and somehow quickly at the same time a small pair of eyes came out from behind a berry leaf. Another inch revealed a female Anna"s Hummingbird:










We have a feeder on the front veranda and sometimes one in the back yard so to have a hummingbird in the yard is no surprise it's what happened next that made me warm and fuzzy!

She floated over toward the waterfall while I stayed as still as I could. She hovered and looked at the water and then at me and then at the water. With no threat to me and no threat to her she relaxed and proceeded to TAKE A SHOWER from my hose! She started with her feet, dipping them in the "stream" and rising up and then dipping back down. I could see her wiggling her toes as she bathed.
With toes cleaned it was time for the tail so she she dipped a little lower so the water covered he tail-feathers and thin did a slow pirouette so she could get the other side. Time for a break so off she flew into the crape myrtle to take care of some personal grooming.

Now I have always had a thing for birds and birds have always seemed to feel safe around me so what happened next was,well, way cool. She came back to finish her bath! Starting with the head she slowly poked into the stream. OK this is just the coolest thing to watch. Then I guess she was getting tired because she tried very hard to sit on the nozzle of my hose!
If you are unaware of it, the design of their feet makes the humming bird incapable of standing on flat surfaces or walking. They need to wrap their toes around a branch to rest.
Well the nozzle I'm using, off an old Miracle Grow sprayer, is  bit large for a roost and it took her a few seconds to find  a way to get the proper grip but she did and sat there for a few fleeting seconds until it was time to continue with her bath. She flew into and out of the flow of water a couple of times and the back to the nozzle for some maintenance then back into the water.

Our time together couldn't have been more than five minutes and it seemed like a leisurely time in the bath. With her bathing completed off she flew back into the crape myrtle to do the thorough chore of feather realignment and a proper preening.

I must say that it truly is "The little things in life" that are the coolest. Be it a song coming on the radio that somehow fits your mood perfectly or helping some poor lady get something off the top shelf at the market or maybe just a helping hand with a shower. Take the time and make a little effort because these are the moments that make each day warm and special.

There's Life and then there's Livin'!

We, the Darling Rebecca and I, recently went on a trip to another land. It was a strange land where time itself had no real bearing on the events of the day. It was reminiscent of the movie "Ground Hog Day" you know the one with Bill Murray. Every day began and ended the same way. Welcome to Belmont, Mississippi!
Shower, read the paper (all 6 pages), drink coffee, watch the "Weather Channel" with the sound turned off and wonder how do we kill off this one, the day I mean.
The days ended with us trying to avoid another "home cooked meal", then brandy (imported from Tupelo), a book and more brandy then bed.
The only thing that changed was the late middle of each day, after coffee we load up the car and it's off to?
Today it's  Tupelo, birth place of  "THE KING" Elvis Aron Presley! But just as important to us; it is the closest place to Belmont to get a drink!
I have never thought of myself as a drunkard or a sot but I gotta tell ya that I do like my wine with dinner and my brandy before bed. Every day it seemed we would wind up in one part or another of Tupelo, which is not always a bad thing, you can find some rare foods there like the elusive English Muffin (Belmont has very little "imported" foods) or the "Bunny Mallows"

Thank goodness we had the proper bait to ketch them bunnies... "Strawberry Mallows"!

After feasting on mallows its "Time for a libation" says I. So off to the local Bar-B-Que joint for some beers and BB-Q, 

but something is missing...

there ain't no beer here! And me with my nifty new bottle opener too,

I do declare you will never find a place that, at the same time, makes it so easy and yet, impossible to get  a drink!

I can't wait for tomorrow! I wonder what we will do?

and sometimes you're amazed...

It is now 2010, (and it will be 2011 before it is all said and done, so far this little diatribe has taken 3 weeks  to write. Mainly because of the subject. I do not claim to do her justice; because words are not enough for her scope and her, I shall say soul and I say that because well...)

then it was 1971...

First class 10th grade, me a 15 year old guy, tall skinny and unruly hair. Her thin, strawberry blond and hot pants. The attraction was...well, automatic.

She invited me home for snacks after school one day and I could not say no. I went to her house and found her father lounging on the couch as we went into her room. There were tunes and pot and conversation that went on for hours, then hunger struck. We ate peanut butter toast, Fritos and lemon-aid. While telling jokes and stories there was a noise at the front door. Little did I know, the closest friend I would ever have was coming through that door.

Call her Mom, Rae, G-ma or as I grew to know and love her simply "MA", she was the most incredible woman I will probably ever meet. Here was this woman who, no thanks to an "unavailable" husband (glug glug), raised 5 children and ran a house, all on a "fixed income", see, she was a manager for the phone company.

She seemed to take only one quick look at me before she said "hey you; wait a minute" or something along those lines, anyway I stopped, turned and walked toward her. My first lesson was about to begin. 'Don't go around with your head down, you can't see anything that way'. she then went to the fridge for some dinner for the kids.

 On the way home I did what "Ma" said and walked  with my head up and found myself walking a little bit taller and thinking about this Lady I had just met, and pondering; just who is this Lady.
My relationship with her youngest daughter grew, and my awe of "Ma" also grew. I spent more and more of my afternoons in this house and time flew by.
The daughter and I did a lot of things that were less than legal, though never wrong, with me sort of trying to hide these things from Ma. What a waste of time that turned out to be, she seemed to know everything and more importantly she knew what was important, sort of separating the wheat from the chafe.
For reasons that I still do not understand she took a decided interest in me and what I thought; how I saw things ,and just as importantly why. This was the first person who seemed to care about the root of what made me who I was and as it turned out who I was to become.
One day I went to her house, when I knew her kids would not be there, so that we could have a talk. This, little did I realize, was a walk through a door I would look forward to walking through  for the next 30+ years. We talked and talked, about things and nothings and MY GOD could she laugh (some times from her shoes) but she could also argue. Well it does take two to tango, and it also takes two to argue.
And argue we did though NEVER, well almost never, in anger. Arguing seemed to be the thing that I could give to her that nobody else could. Such a small gift to give to the LADY that gave me so much. We would argue over politics (though we were both true BLUE Demos), we would argue over the way her sons acted when we ran out of things to argue over; but the one thing, the one big thing we would argue over was the PHONE COMPANY!
She was one of the last true "BELL SHAPED HEADS" and I was, and still am, a dirt worshiping tree huger who is anti and non trusting of corporate America. It was with this little difference of opinion we had the most fun, my God was it fun.
 It seems that we were both right so there could be no winner and more importantly there could be no looser, there was just fun dialogue.
Well it had to happen and one day we ran out of thing to say, for or against, the PHONE COMPANY  and she told me that "You don't work for the phone company and so you don't know the phone company so I don't want to hear another word from you about it!" OK then.
I had another 40 hour a week job that I didn't care one way or another about when I saw in the paper that the PHONE COMPANY was hiring. Well I said to myself "This is an opportunity" and picked up the phone.
About a whole year later they called and being a Veteran they hired me pretty quick.
A few months went by and I had gotten the hang of the whole "tel-co" way of doing things so I went back to "Ma's" table and said pretty as you please "So what do you think about this FU*%ing phone company?!" Knowing she had no where to go, she smiled and looked at me and said, for the first time, "Fuck". This was the first of many secrets that "Ma" and I would share over the coming years.


I have so many memories and stories about "Ma" and I would truly love to share them with you now but this is running a bit long, so maybe next time I'll tell you about "stems and seeds" or...

...or sometimes you wonder

I was talking the other day about our current situation, that being the "haves" and the "have nots" and the battle that rages between them. It seems that the "haves" feel they earned what they have and should not have it taken from them nor be told to give it away! Strange for me to say, but I agree. The people who earned what they have are entitled to keep it. Though I might ask "Just how much is enough?" (on a side note the Getty and the Vanderbilt families that "made" the money are gone and the heirs are in charge.)
On the other side are the folks who, for what ever reason, chose to work for them with the hopes that if they gave their time and effort to enrich the company they would, in their later years, share in the prosperity of the company's wealth, so we have our two sides.


The workers united saying we will not work for you if you don't support us. The companies went along with this idea, grudgingly, for a while. After all, the more things cost to make the more they would charge, and it worked for a while. 
The bosses on neither side would see nor care what was down the road for their people, they wanted it all now. The "unions" got the wages and benefits for their people and the companies got their profits (from less workers) for their people (the share holders) and there was a truce. Alas after a while the companies sent the jobs to where they could get the biggest bang for the buck (generally off shore) so they could cut their costs. The workers were let go and the first domino fell.
Then other companies, (hospitals, banks and such) said they needed more money "to stay afloat" because of the influx of people who were unemployed and could no longer pay for services.  They turned to the Government.
Anyone could see that this could not end well.
Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding.
Strange thing though, with less workers on the payroll there were less people to buy the "widgets". Sales (deemed profits) started to sag.  With more people off the payroll there were more folks claiming relief and so the welfare costs started to grow. No problem for the companies because that was a government's problem (so far).
Now comes the new dilemma, The Government. When we were talking 13 colonies this was a small problem, but with 50 states and a few hundred million people this becomes a big problem FAST.  We still have the same two sides and they are still arguing about the same things, haves and have nots.  So many jobs are gone from the market because of both job loss - companies folding, and greed- jobs sent away, the government has to do something. Nobody on either side is listening to the other because "it's their fault!" Rep's want more money for their side, after all they earned it, and the Dem's crying out for the displaced because they can't (or maybe won't) get a job.
 It is a no win scenario, see the government has no money either, they gave it all to the companies (and a war or two) to keep them afloat. The only thing they can do is ask the boss for a raise but the boss is US and the rep's  say "no way!" live within your means. So we sit and watch as our country goes in the tank. If we could only go over seas and get some support from our allies! Dang their economy was relying on ours, ours being so strong and all, they are in the tank too.
 Now we have two sides both "right" but both to blame. The companies were entitled to what they earned and so were the workers. The problem is that the economy cannot support them both. 
Had the company shared the windfall from the savings of "off shore labor" and had the unions agreed to a bit more of cost sharing, looking forward to the greater good, With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds,to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations this might not have been that big of a problem.
We had a great nation and we can again have a great nation if we remember that we were

conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
The problem is that the government has chosen to save the companies rather than the workers, hoping that the companies will share the winnings with the workers alas I for one have never seen this happen, ie:
Levi's sent their manufacturing to Mexico - the cost of a pair of jeans still went up.
Toyota built plants in Mississippi and Alabama - but paid non union wages and benefits and sent the income back "home" to Japan
The concept that we are all in this together seems to be lost, I don't know where it went but we should  find it fast or else...


Maybe it's time to do away with the two party system and go with a one party system where everyone stands on their own merit without the backing of a partisan party.

BOLD PRINT QUOTED FROM Mr. ABRAHAM LINCOLN circa 1863