Child's Play? ~ 4

An early watercolour painting

 ~ playing with nature’s colours

An early evening sky

~ a play of colours on the prairie.

“Adults play too (or should).”

~ Julie Lythcott-Haims,

Contemporary American educator

Ready to Fly

Like a whisper of wind

a little brown sparrow

touched down ~ catching me in mid stride

Do I have time?

Will it fly away

or sit for a moment?

Toddlers are like that ~

small and beautiful,

alert and ready to fly. 

 

“may my heart always be 

open to little birds 

who are the secrets of living.”

        ~ e e cummings

Brief

Short on words

Brilliance? Gone

Inspiration? Insipid

Done

“Be sincere, Be brief, Be seated.”

~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Chapter Two, Episode 107 - Meeting Sarah - Situationally Theirs

“Grandma. Who is Sarah?” Abby, seven years old, was in the Estate kitchen after school. Cook had fresh chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate for Martha’s grandchildren. Ben, almost 12 years old (he reminded everyone if they forgot) had gone out to see Samuel. “I’ll do my homework later Gran. I need to talk business with Mr. Forrester.” He was gone with the slam of the back door before his grandmother could even get a word out. 

“He’ll be just fine, Martha. Samuel will talk with him some. When he finds out the homework’s waiting, Ben will be back here at work.” Cook smiled and set tea down for the both of them. 

“Now how do you know that, Elizabeth?” Martha really wasn’t surprised. Samuel loved the children. Wouldn’t let them get away with much. “Now, Abby. You wanted to know about Sarah. I don’t know that much, except she is known as our resident ghost. And then there was the young man - what was his name, Elizabeth - Tucker something……. Remember? He got so frustrated with her he threatened to quit. What do you know about her?”

“Not that much, Martha. Just feels like she’s watching over my shoulder, especially when I’m alone and baking something. Miss Emelina will be here soon. You need to ask her, Abby. I think she’s had some dealing with her.”

“Abby, honey, you’ve known about our ghost before. Why…” Martha hesitated, sitting back in her chair with a big smile on her face. “I think I know.” 

Her granddaughter looked up at her grandma, her blue eyes sparkling. “I want to dress up as a ghost for Hallowe'en.” She sat up straight and took another cookie and a sip of her hot chocolate. “But not just any ghost……Our ghost.”

~~~~~

It wasn’t long before Emelina joined them. She was about to go on upstairs and put away her purchases. She didn’t notice Martha whispering to her granddaughter. Saying her hello’s, she was about to walk away when she heard a nervous little voice. “Miss Emelina. Can I ask you about Sarah?……..I mean, if you have time. It’s just that I need to know what she looks like………” Abby words trailed away. Emelina stifled a smile. “I guess I could take a few minutes and visit with you Abby. As long as it’s ok with your grandmother.” 

Martha stood and picked up her tea. “I’ll just leave the two of you to talk. Cook and I have some things to go over in the pantry. You just write down what Miss Emelina tells you. You know, what you’ll need for your costume. I’ll make sure you are as pretty and as ghostly as Sarah.”

~~~~~

“Now, let me think. Sarah hasn’t visited me for quite a while but she is almost as pretty as you.” 

“Really!’ Abby’s eyes shone. Emelina was just nervous at the prospect of being interviewed by a young girl. “Is she a mean ghost? What’s her dress like?” Regaining her confidence, questions spilled out of her. She had already told her best friend what her costume might be. She didn’t know she’d be talking to her grandma’s boss.

Emelina touched Abby’s long blond hair. “Just the right colour. Do you think your mom or your grandma could put your hair in ringlets?” Abby went still at her touch. “I think so. I don’t really know what ringlets are but I’m sure they know. What else?”

“Well you’ll need a pale yellow dress. Stand up for me. You’re quite tall, aren’t you? It needs to be long.” She indicated half way between the young girl's slender knee and ankle. And what else?” Emelina took a sip of her tea. “Oh, yes. A lace collar. And there was something in her hair……. A blue ribbon ~ dark blue I think.”

They paused to take another cookie. In the silence, there were footsteps from upstairs. “Shh….I think I hear her. No one should be up there.” Abby leaned forward and whispered. “Do you think I could meet her?”

“Well, she might fade away into the walls unless we go very carefully. We’ll whisper to her as we go up the stairs so we don’t scare her. Did you know she’s about 12 years old? A little older than you. If she’s hiding, I’ll tell her you want to talk with her. Then, we’ll wait. Then, you ask her if you can talk to her.”

Martha and Cook were watching from the pantry door. Finished their review of the pantry contents, they watched the pair deep in their discussion. “They’re getting along just fine, Elizabeth. They both were quite nervous, weren’t they?” Elizabeth nodded. “Didn’t last long though, did it?” The two women had also heard the footsteps upstairs. Watching them creep up the stairs, whispering to each other, they were certain the two new friends were going to meet Sarah.

“Why do they say ghosts are cold? Mine are warm, a breath 

dampening your cheek, a voice when you thought you were alone.”

~ Julie Buntin, Marlena

Rooted

Snow

hangs on ~

protected by shade

Leaves

hang on ~ 

not time to let go

Childhood

hangs on ~

In the kitchen, 

the yard or 

    climbing a tree.

“The trick is growing up without growing old.”

~ Casey Stengel

Child Likes

In the presence of a child

the ordinary becomes wonderous

to maintain such wonder 

before it becomes ordinary

allows life to sparkle and shine

whether gray skies or blue.

“I am youth. I am joy. I am freedom!” said Peter Pan.”

~ J.M.Barrie

In From the Cold

I have loved being outside!

sunshine or rain

windy or calm

when the snow came

I worried

will I be forgotten?

turned into a tiny snow frog?

my green skin all frozen

only a thin scarf to wear

but no!

I was the first

in from the cold

given a seat of honour

right by the fireplace

warm and toasty.

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, 

only inappropriate clothing.”

~ Sir Ranulph Fiennes, explorer

(attribution 2006)