Excitement is bright!
and scary!
Excitement is full of
runaway energy!
Excitement wants
spice with a firm hand.
Excitement dances with
focus,
intention and
curiosity
Excitement is bright
and proud!
“…everyone wants to be excited by something magical and wondrous
~ to be reminded of how they once saw the world…”
~ John Geddes, Canadian author
The tiny blue space waves to me
but sitting in the shadows,
the breeze caresses my skin,
filtered sun is warm through caragana branches.
A slide into the waters of life tempts me ~ to float and to swim
but fear of drowning
in that beautiful spot of blue
holds me fast and keeps me safe
surrounded by beautiful distractions.
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
There is always a horizon surrounding me,
when the world is too big
so full of distractions,
gathering bright shiny things
that blind me to my focus
When I choose to slow my dance,
the world is only a moment and
I’ll see the flowers along my path,
remembering my grandmother's gardens ~
all my horizons become beautiful shadows.
“The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.”
~ Gregory Maguire, novelist
Words drop into my heart
like a warm spring rain,
moist and nourishing ~
to give voice to my soul
listening to my heart’s longings
my mind thrills to the oneness
words drop into my heart
like a warm spring rain.
“There is a voice that doesn’t use word. Listen.”
~ Rumi
As I walked
skirting lakes of melting snow
careful of remaining ice packs
sun beaming warm and bright,
spring flowers came to mind ~
wouldn’t that be lovely?
just one flower amid browning
snow and rivulets of water
~ and there it was!
a brilliant yellow smile
brave and cheerful!
“Blossom by blossom the spring begins.”
~ Algernon Charles Swinburne
Abby has been studying her bee book after school. Amazing Bees: Buzzing with Bee Facts. She’s decided to show it to Miss Dez and get her opinion on it. She didn’t know how hard becoming a scientist was going to be, but still wanted to do it. Still lots of years to grow up, so she thought she might have time to be a scientist before she was as old as Samuel. Feeding the bees was fun and a little scary. Samuel didn’t have her size of beekeepers suit, but he did have an extra hat that was way too big for her. He fixed it so it was almost small enough with some duct tape he had in his shed. The netting hung all the way to the middle of her back, so she was ok that day. Today, she made sure to put on her brother Ben’s overalls and wore her denim jacket that snapped up to her neck. She’d have to wear that big beekeepers hat but her mom had ordered one, and a beekeepers suit, from the catalogue. As soon as it came she’d dress properly so she could really work with the bees. Ben laughed at her and said she’d never be a scientist. Abby was really annoyed. He used to be so nice to her when she was really little. Since she started going to school he turned into some kind of a monster. She just turned her back on him when he got so mean.
When she was helping Samuel feed the bees, she watched more than anything, but he always found to help. He had her go to each of the hives with Miss Dez to see if any of then needed repair. He said Miss Dez would know. That was a good thing, because Abby had never seen a beehive except on TV. And they always looked good.
~~~~~
At the beehives behind the big apple orchard, the three of them were getting ready for their assignments. Samuel had talked with Dez after Abby had returned home after feeding the bees. They decided to have Samuel take the lead in teaching this child, mainly because he wasn’t new at this. Dez was still learning. They both felt it was important that Dez always be there. “Too much talk about a young girl and a old man like me out here all the time.” Dez just laughed but did agree about the possible gossip from service delivery people in and out of the estate, often out at the orchard or garden.
Today, he said he had already done an inspection. “Only do that every couple of weeks, sometimes a bit longer. Don’t want to get them all riled up.” Abby looked disappointed. She was all ready to do more real bee work. “Don’t worry, little girl, I’m going to tell you why I didn’t wait for you.” He grinned at his two students. So serious. Miss Dez with her iPad ad Apply with her pencil and notebook. “You might as well put those away, look it up when you get home about inspecting beehives. Right now I want to show you the smoker and what to look for. You’re pretty young to do a whole inspection by yourself, but next time, I’ll let you watch.”
Abby listened carefully for the next hour. Samuel answered all her questions. But when she got home, she took out her book and looked up how to take care of bees. He did know what he was talking about! She sighed with relief and when her mother called her for supper, she jumped up and ran downstairs. “I’ll do my homework after supper.”
~~~~~
“You’re awfully quiet, dear. Is there anything wrong? Did you not get to see the bees today?” Joanie Richardson had been watching her daughter, barely picking at her food. Abby put down her fork. “Mom, why do I have to take all the classes about language and grammar and math? Why can’t I just take science? I could get going to university faster to help the bees.”
Joanie rested her hand on Abby’s. “Honey, that’s a question lots of people ask. Even my own teacher when I was in school told me I needed a well rounded education. “ She paused when she saw her daughter’s face looked even sadder. “That wasn’t a very good answer then, and it isn’t now either. Let me see. A scientist has to learn all these other things so when they were working with what they loved, they would be able to write books like the one you have. Each one of your classes gives you a good foundation for the work you want to do.” Abby sighed and looked up at her mother. “And, my beautiful, serious scientist girl, you can’t get into university or any college with out good grades. So, eat your supper and get to your homework.” Abby sat up, picked up her fork and after a bite or two said ‘Ok mom, I hope you’re right. But I’m going to ask my teacher tomorrow.” Abby was never satisfied with just one answer. Her curious mind always need corroboration. She just hoped that she wouldn’t be too old when she learned everything she needed to learn.
“The lyf so short, the craft so long to learn.”
~ Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parliament of Birds
**Authors note: I have not yet read Amazing Bees: Buzzing with Bee Facts, however the reviews I read are all positive about the facts and photos about bees and why they are needed.
Title: Amazing Bees: Buzzing with Bee Facts
Published 2016
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Imprint: DK Children
Format: Hardback
Type: Non-Fiction
ISBN: 9780241225073
Stepping into circles
where there are no corners
it’s easy to be brave
when around the circle
smiles of welcome blossom,
and hands reach out to help
Stepping into circles
where there are no corners
it’s easy to belong.
“There are patterns which emerge in one’s life,
circling and returning anew,
an endless variation of a theme.”
~ Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel’s Chosen
Seeing and visiting with family and friends miles away ~ something I could never imagined with only a telephone (on a party line) and a radio; pen, paper, crayons and board games.
But days would come when
I would enjoy family and friends around the globe
on this global party line and
be ready to tear my hair out establishing
a meeting Zooming through the air and
setting my nerves on the edge of madness;
Fascinating and wondrous!
“Science and technology revolutionize our lives,
but memory, tradition and myth frame our response.”
~ Arthur Schlesinger (Historian)
One an hour or more, a couple a week, maybe once every few weeks or months - who knows when?! or managed successfully with medication and/or surgery - or not.
Living on the alert
Getting up in the morning
Going to bed at night
Taking medication daily
Being aware of surroundings
How rested you are - or aren’t.
All kinds of seizures!
Little ones, big ones ~
not all falling down ones
Each one knocks a brain sideways
vibrating it for minutes, hours, days or more after the seizure has vanished.
"It's more than just having seizures."
~ Lindsey Hess
Purple Day established in 2008 by Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia
**Some minor updates to this repost, but a seizure's still a seizure.
Miss Florence Southam of S.Norwood, England, 23 years old, has dared to approach her beau, Mr. Corby, about his intentions. His response is less than favourable leaving Florence quite mystified about what their relationship had actually been. She felt her father did not even notice her; her mother and sister blamed her for the defection of Mr. Corby. Shortly following, she receives an invitation to her cousin Mary’s wedding in Canada. The location? Cannington Manor in the district of Assiniboia on the Canadian Prairies. Feeling quite lost, Florence accepts the invitation and, accompanied by the widow of Cannington Manor’s founder, she boards a ship to this new and strange land. Her ship docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she then travels by train and wagon to Moosomin, in the District of
Assiniboia, where she is met by her cousin Mary and her driver. She is lifted from the wagon by the driver, unknown to her, with what seemed a familiarity not entirely unpleasant.
Allison Kydd has masterfully given us a history of the pioneer prairies, the hard work and dangers. Many had big dreams, some successful, some still works in progress. Pioneers who tried to transplant class distinctions and the finer things of England to the rough and ready land that was Canada in the late 1800’s. Florence Southam was witness and participant on her trip. A trip that was intended to be mere weeks for a June wedding, and was extended almost to winter. Having a small inheritance from an aunt, she was able to do so easily. This author walks Florence through the woods on her own before she is aware of what dangers there may be; has her scrubbing floors on her hands and knees because there is only one maid; listen to and judge town gossip; attend church and community events. And still she is left feeling lonely. The longer she is there, she becomes more attached to this new way of life and to a certain Scottish man with a fine tenor voice. Aware that he is ‘below her station’, as she is reminded by her aunt, she decides it is time to return to England. A letter arrives from her mother, suggesting that she stay for the winter. Mr. Corby, her once beau, is now seeing her sister. Her mother doesn’t wish Florence to disturb that budding relationship. On another lonely walk in the countryside, she gets lost and is rescued…..and that’s all I’ll say about that.
This was a fascinating read about the culture shock men and women must have experienced on these grand transitions. Especially most women, as regardless their ‘station’ they had to roll up their sleeves without much assistance. Most of her characters were people that lived; Florence Southam and several others are fictitious and become our eye, ear and heart into the past. At the back of the book in A Note on Sources, she details the extensive research into the location of Cannington Manor; all complements of Saskatchewan sources.
“You must be the best judge of your own happiness.”
~ Jane Austen, Emma
**Allison Kydd is a self-professed Jane Austen fan.
Title: Few and Far
Author: Allison Kydd
Copyright: 2017
Publisher: Stonehouse Publishing Inc.
Type: Historical Novel
Format: Soft Cover
ISBN: 978-1-988754-01-7
Oh yes she does!
5 rounds on the track
Get benched for a breath or two
5 rounds on the track
Benched for two breaths or three
5 rounds on the track
Done.
Around and around and around she went
and when she stopped ~
it was time to go.
“But the beauty is in the walking — we are betrayed by destinations.”
~ Gwyn Thomas
** This was one of the lines from “Major Bowes Original Amateur Hour” which was a radio show that ran from 1934 -1948, when it made the transition to television as the “Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour” and ran until 1970
thaw, drip and
drain into muddy puddles.
“Yes, I deserve a spring - I owe nobody nothing.”
~ Virginia Woolf, A Writer’s Diary
Abby was nervous. The school librarian had helped her with books about bees. She really wanted ones about being a scientist, but the librarian said she should start with the bees. She would look for a good book about being a scientist for her, but suggested the bees first. Her grandma had told her to talk to Mr. Forrester, but he was scary. Everyone said he wasn’t but he always looked grumpy. Especially when he was working in the garden. She told her brother, Ben that ‘he argues with the plants!’ When he was telling his stories, his face looked different, but she didn’t want to hear his stories. She wanted him to tell her what to do for the bees. Miss Dez just lived right beside them where her grandma used to live before she married grandpa James. But Miss Dez had a boyfriend and he was always there so she had to watch when his truck was gone. She could also write a note to her and put it in her mailbox. Until then she’d just walk out to the orchard. It wasn’t weird for her to go out to the orchard by herself with a book and just read. She could take the book about bees with her. She’d stay on the far side of the orchard so Mr. Forrester couldn’t see her. If she saw Mr. Matt’s truck drive away, she could go to her and see if she had time to talk. She knew the grass was still wet, so put a ground sheet, her bee book, note book, a pencil and a sandwich in her backpack and went to the orchard.
~~~~~
They had had a late morning. Matt had just left for the day. She wouldn’t see him til supper time They were meeting in Hartley for a date night. Every night had seemed like a date night lately, whether they went out or stayed in. But tonight was special. The first day of spring night. Maybe they would set a date for tying the knot. Since they had gotten engaged they hadn’t talked about it. Which made Dez a bit uneasy, but they continued on their way just living together at her home or at his. There’d also been no further plans to build the tiny house in the area she and Samuel had cleared. That was definitely a thing of the past. Those plans had come before she and Matt were finally together.
Dez heard the metallic flap of the mail box. Seldom any mail came to her but bills and junk mail. She really had to put a sign up saying ‘No Junk mail’ but that had never been a priority for her so she just tossed them all in recycling. Picking up her coffee, she went to the front door. “Shouldn’t be any bills today. I’m pretty sure they’re all in and have been paid. Oh well, I’ll clean out the junk.” Setting her mug down on the little table just outside her door, she took a deep breath of the spring air. Warm sunshine and not even a breath of wind. Lifting the mail flap she couldn’t see anything. Just before she let go of the lid, she saw what looked like a scrap of paper in the corner. “That’s odd. Someone playing a prank?” Reaching in she picked it up. She turned and looked around to see if there was anyone. The only person she could see was little Abby from next door, but she was heading to the orchard. Maybe she had seen someone on her porch. The scrap of paper was in fact a small notebook page folded in half. She turned it over. It was addressed to her in block letters. Opening it, she read. “If you have time to talk with me today, would you come to the orchard and tell me about your bees. I’m supposed to talk to Mr. Forrester too, but I want to talk to you first. Abby, your neighbour.” As she read, a smile spread across her face. “Now what would she want to know about bees? I hardly know anything. Everything I know I learned from Samuel and from Matt. But if she wants to talk to me, I’ll go find her.” Taking her coffee mug into the kitchen, Dez changed her shoes, put her sweater on and followed Abby’s direction to the orchard.
~~~~~
“Hi Samuel, are you busy right now? I guess that’s a question I don’t need an answer to - you’re always busy with something. I have a young lady here who wants to ask you some questions that we both need answers to.” Samuel had just come out of the shed carrying a jar filled with what looked like water. “Well, I’m about to feed the bees but I’m always ready to talk to a young lady with questions. Is that Martha’s granddaughter I see with you?” Dez looked down at Abby and whispered “It’s ok. You can tell him.”
Abby stepped a bit closer to Dez. “Yes sir, I’m Abby. I need to know about the bees. Are you really feeding them? Don’t they get nectar from the flowers?”
Samuel put his jar back in the shed. Returning, he squatted to Abby’s level and gently said “You call me Samuel and I’ll call you Abby.” He glanced up at Dez. She nodded. “Yes, this year the bees need to be fed. They just didn’t get enough from the flowers last year. Do you want to help me?”
“Yes sir…..I mean Samuel. I really want to be a scientist when I grow up and want to learn how to help the bees so they don’t die. Can Miss Dez help too?” She looked up at her with her big blue eyes. She kind of liked Samuel now, but was still a bit afraid of him. If he could feed bees, he couldn’t be all bad. But she still wanted Miss Dez with her. “Before we help Samuel, I need to know if your mom knows where you are?”
“I told her I was going to the orchard and then if you had time to talk I’d be with you. So I guess she sort of knows where I am.” Dez pulled her cell phone out. “Here. You call your mom and tell her we’re with Samuel at the bee hives.”
~~~~~
Abby had finally found her voice. When she heard Samuel talking about feeding the bees, all sorts of questions popped like firecrackers in her head? This was better than the book she had with her. Miss Dez wanted to help her and Samuel wasn’t scary at all.
~~~~~
“For the things we have to learn before
we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
~ Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics
