In Turn

Bold and glossy green leaves on 

stems once laden with berries 

stripped by birds readying 

for turn of seasons.

“Delicious autumn! If I were a bird I would fly 

about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

~ George Eliot

Book Review: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Before the Dust Bowl in the Dirty Thirties, farmers and their families thrived; their crops and cattle grew healthy. Set in Dalhart, Texas in 1931, 24 year old Elsa Wolcott lived on the margins of her parents good graces. Her father, the owner of the town’s only tractor supply business, prospered. Sick as a young child, Elsa had been forever sheltered from life, easing her world with books and sewing; allowed to attend church and community functions within the dictates of her parents beliefs. She saw her sisters blossom. She did not. On her 25th birthday, and without knowing it, she changed the direction of her life. 

Rafe Martinelli, only 18 years old, met Elsa. Their secret dalliance led to pregnancy. When her parents were told, her father drove her to Rafe’s home where he lived with his parents, Rose and Joe Martinelli, on their farm outside of Lonesome Tree towards the Oklahoma border. She was abandoned by her own family. Life with her parents had been the easy, but stunted, part of Elsa’s life. In a new family, a new marriage in an unfamiliar setting, she was forced to grow. When the rain stopped, the sun grew hotter and the winds were cruel, the life of this land dried up. The life in Rafe also dried up. Forever a dreamer, he walked away one night, never to be heard or seen again. The westward migration started as people lost their lands and their hope. Promises of jobs and a ‘land of milk and honey’ began this migration. Still, Elsa and her two children Loreda and Antony, Rafe’s parents Rose and Joe Martinelli stayed fighting the dust and the winds. It was finally her son’s lung sickness from the windblown topsoil that convinced her pack up her children and leave for California. 

When I first began reading this novel, I questioned whether I should continue reading. I was tired, in a bad mood but because this book was for Book Club, I continued. A wise choice. I have now read it twice. Elsa came away from her own family with little belief in herself. She met the challenges thrown her way, sometimes with great difficulty, but with the help of the other strong and loving women in her small circle, she kept on. One of those strong women was her young daughter, Loreda, who had learned from her father’s dreaming and her mother’s actions.

Kristin Hannah has written a powerful story. 'Hard times’ that are real and intense. Love that is real and intense. Rascism, stigma, and the goodness of people despite the cruelty of others. An excellent read.

“That was the first time he had leaned down and whispered, 

‘Be brave’ into her ear. And then ‘or pretend to be.’ It’s all the same.”

~ Elsa’s grandfather, The Four Winds

Title: The Four Winds

Author: Kristin Hannah

Copyright: 2021

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group

Type: Novel

Format: Hard copy

ISBN - 9781250178602 (hardcover)

ISBN - 9781250178626 (ebook)

LCCN - 2020040176

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov./2020040176

No Sympathy!

Taken last week: this was just a breeze!

into every wind tunnel

around concrete and glass

wind whipped my hair

across my face,

into my eyes ~

a new coiffure by

a very ancient hairstylist.

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

~ Clark Gable from

Gone with the Wind

Chapter Two, Episode 100 - Still Just a Friend? - Situationally Theirs

Still Just a Friend?

“Where are we going, Jeremy?” Top down, breeze ruffling everyone’s hair, Jeremy steered his silver 2018 Porsche smoothly onto the highway. An unfamiliar route, Dez seldom took this bypass to the highway. “It’s a new out of the way restaurant ~ El Con Carne ~ Everyone at the hospital is talking about it. Nurses, doctors, cleaning staff…..” He zipped past a fully loaded semi. Em held tightly onto her scarf, her hat long gone. “That was brand new!” Jeremy just seemed amused. “You can get a new one, Em. I like your hair blowing in the wind.” In the back seat, Dez put her head back on the soft leather seats and relaxed. “I hope it’s muy caliente!” Dez missed the glance that shot between her sister and her husband. Jeremy leaned back and called out over the wind. “I checked it out online. The menu is ‘authentic Mexican’. We’re coming up on it now. See that gas station off to the left?” The double lane highway open, he put his blinker on and cruised left, slowed for the turn across the other lane. The full parking lot was well lit. People entering and leaving carrying take out. Mariachi music blaring into the night. Lights from the dining room a complement to it all. Dez sat up straight. “This looks great!”

~~~~~

Jeremy and Emelina had noticed that Dez lit up at the mention Matt’s name. Whenever she called him to help her with the orchard, he was there as soon as possible. Most things Samuel could have helped with. If it wasn’t about the orchard, Matt also had a small apiary ~ another bit of experience Dez relied on. For all of her self confidence and independent spirit, she got all mushy about her old friend. Sometimes she had even noticed butterflies in her stomach. In the early days of their friendship, Matt was married so was not available. He’d been divorced for quite some time now. Although his orchard was on the other side of Hartley, he did come whenever Dez needed him. When he did come to the Estate, whenever Dez called, he visited with Samuel or with Giles, the chauffeur. Those two men had also seen Matt’s reactions to Dez’s presence. Later, around the kitchen table with Cook and Martha, small talk turned into gossip. Digby, coming out of his office, heard Samuel “Sometime they were so darn polite to each other, I almost felt sick.” He filled up his coffee cup and turned “Who was polite, Samuel?” Setting his cup down and sitting at the table, he leaned into the conversation. “Miss Dez and that Matt Hamilton. They say they’re just friends, but they sure act strange.” Cook had been just a bit too quiet. Samuel turned to her “Elizabeth, that look on your face. Have you got somethin’ up that sleeve of yours.” Martha piped up. “Yes we have ~ not just Elizabeth, but the both of us. Dr. Jeremy and Miss Emelina are taking care of it.”

~~~~~

Jeremy, Emelina and Dez had been in line for about 10 minutes. The door to El Con Carne stayed open to the night air and a steady stream of customers. Jeremy leaned down to Em and whispered “Not exactly a romantic getaway.” He righted himself quickly when he heard his name being called from outside. “Jeremy! I finally made it. Did you bring Emelina and her friend?” Jeremy grinned before he turned to greet Matt. “Sure did, Matt. Em, you do the honours.” 

Before her sister could say anything, Dez had turned. “Matt? What are you doing here?” Hand in hand, Jeremy and Emelina said “We invited him.” Emelina continued. “We wanted a foursome. If we asked either of you your permission, it would have ruined the evening. And one of you may have refused.” 

“Your table is ready, sir.” 

The foursome were led to a table in the corner of the room. Conversation filled the room, music played in time to the waiters weaving through the crowded room, platters and plates filled with enchiladas, tamales, sopapillas, tortillas, and beverages of all kinds. As the evening wore on, Emelina feigned tiredness. “Jeremy, I need to get home. This has been such a lovely evening. Matt, would you please see that Dez gets home?” She stood up, grasping her husbands hand. “Please, Jeremy.” He ate up the last of his sopapilla. “Let’s go then, Em. Matt, thanks.”

~~~~~

Matt’s voice was like gravel. “Dez, let’s get out of here.” They had talked until the restaurant was almost empty. Waiters were clearing the tables, wiping them down, setting them up again for the next day. The door was closed now. The stream of patrons had slowed. Mariachi’s had become part of the clean up crew. Outside and away from the city, only the smell of the far away ocean and the occasional call of a lost gull greeted them. “I can drive you home now, or we can………”

“We can what, Matt?” He seemed stuck for words. “I don’t know ~ go for a drive….the long way around the city? I’m not doing this very well.” Matt held the truck’s door open for Dez. He was suddenly ashamed of his old truck. Knew it was dusty and dirty inside. He had wiped it down, expecting Emelina’s ‘friend’ and a possible date. But Dez looked so different. So pretty ~ something he’d never seen in her before. She had just been a friend. Tonight there was something different. 

“Yes, a slow drive around the city would be nice. You know that I live on the Estate now? I’ve been renting Martha’s duplex. We could……” she hesitated…… “we could, I mean you could come in for coffee …. or something.” The sky cloudless, stars bright. It would be easy to say most of those pinpricks of light were satellites, but tonight they were all stars.

“The very essence of romance is uncertainty.”

~ Oscar Wilde, the Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays

A Rose for Autumn

one tiny brave rose denies

late summer dryness 

to open into the sun.

“What a lovely thing a rose is!”

~ Arthur Conan Doyle

Awakening ~ 4

Early morning dreams 

tangled in my pillow

wisp away from sleepy eyes

sensing another new day ~

a yawn, a stretch,

deciding:

do I get up? or not?

hope:

still sleeping until

movement awakens a smile.

“Not the day only, but all things have their morning.”

~ French Proverb

Without a Ticket

Poetry and prose ~ word chains like delicate daisy chains or stolid chain link fences ~ travel agents ushering us into

new worlds,

     old worlds, 

        fantastical worlds

bringing us home again

just before we sleep.

“Outside our small safe place flies mystery”

~ A.S.Byatt,  Possession