Chapter Two, Episode 147 - Turning the Soil - Situationally Theirs

Turning the Soil

Stories spin themselves. But when Samuel Forrester gets hold of them, he adds sparkle. The twinkle in his blue eyes tells of the joy he feels when the dirt runs through his fingers in the spring. The satisfaction he feels when he digs up potatoes in the fall. He had been on the land and of the land since he was a boy. But he has never told his own story. As a boy, he walked beside his father as often as he could. It was from his father that he learned the story of the land and how precious it was to the Beaufort family. Now, he had come to believe that all land was precious to the wider world. Not just on the Estate, not just the city of Hartley, or even the country of Canada. He didn’t talk much about world events. “Don’t need to. Just have to watch the birds, the sky, the weather and all the changes. We’re not so special that just our little corner of the world has been messed up. ”  He claimed he was an old farmer. “No chemicals touching this ground. Organic they call it. Just like my dad and his dad before me. The old Mr. Beaufort and Grand-dad planned it all out. When horses, cows and chickens ran this place, this garden was the healthiest its been. The manure pile is long gone, but when it was here, they had a system worked out. Rotated the fresh cow manure with the composted manure. Same for the chicken pellets. Don’t know whether they ever mixed the two.”

                                              ~~~~~ 

Samuel, Matt and Dez had spent the day going over the needs of both orchards, the apiaries and, of course, the Beaufort garden. Matt and Dez wanted to do as many things the same as possible, to reduce their work load and align their expenses. Samuel was the best resource for what was needed on the estate. Matt and Samuel believed in much the same manner of farming. So much so that Dez was doing a lot of listening, with little to contribute. So, like a good student she took notes. When there were discrepancies in the plans they were stuck on, she was the arbiter. The Beaufort land had been organic for generations; Matt’s land had been non-organic. He had been working with a Land Board, but was still in the stages of conversion to organic. A time-consuming and expensive project. Until the conversion was complete, they would not be able to mix their fruits or anything used on Matt’s farm. “Put a hitch in your plans, Matt. We’ll work it out.” Dez was already doing some research about how they could work. 

~~~~~

“Let’s call it a day, you two. Elizabeth’s making us supper at the Estate kitchen. Should just have time to clean up. If I don’t, she’ll have my hide.” Samuel cleared their coffee cups from the table. “Guess we’d better clean up too. She’s not any gentler with Matt and me. See you up there, Samuel.” The couple pushed their chairs up to the table and set out for Dez’s place. Matt was still looking troubled. “Matt, it will be ok! It’s just going to be more work than we planned. We’ll get your place organic and this place growing fruit again. It did not bad last year but unattended as it had been, it’s been struggling.” She squeezed his hand gently. “It’s just that I don’t want to damage your orchard.” Then he let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders as they walked. “You’re right. We’ll just get to work and keep the guidelines from the Land Board so at least our corner of the world has special treatment. Let’s get ready for supper.” He kissed her forehead. They smiled at each other, stopped their walk home for a quick hug. “Race you, Matt!” He was already ahead of her with his long legs, but she grabbed his belt loops and pulled herself past him. “Last one there has to serve Elizabeth her supper!”

“Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful 

and most noble employment of man.”

~ George Washington

Slipping By

Incurring a debt to

our planet

slips by unnoticed

amid the noise of

policy and lawmaking

until climate changes

and snow falls in April….

“You cannot get through a single day without 

having an impact on the world around you.”

~ Jane Goodall

Performance Art

Crumbling onto waiting sand,

boulders and rocks build 

a new story of the land ~

freshened soil remains for

trees and grass to grow,

brush strokes of nature while 

ocean waves shush and crash

rolling boulders and rocks

into polished pebbles

rain ~ gentle or slashing ~

puddles in crevices, 

soaks deep into sand and soil

crumbling onto waiting sand,

boulders and rocks build 

a new story of the land.

“Land is really the best art.”

~ Andy Warhol

Nature's Sight Lines

Lengthening shadows

laid down by trees ~

back lit by the setting sun ~

sight lines sketched on the land.

“Some shadows are so long, they arrive before the light.”

~ Terry Pratchett Soul Music

Nature of Muse

My muse in heart or mind

is without personality, 

unless, unbeknownst to me, 

a ghostly persona hovers over me.

It is words ~

Words that roll out like

multi-coloured berries or beads

dark and shadowy or

full of glitter and joy

some discarded as too pedantic and soulless

Words that practically beg 

to be laid down

like tracks guiding trains

through tall trees and around snowy mountains,

up into desert high, arid mesas,

or to stretch and roll across vast prairie landscapes

My muse may be story.

Stories that spill out

over coffee and conversation 

at kitchen tables or coffee shops,

over the airwaves in sound or pictures,

crackling from newsprint or the pages of a novel,

photographs old or new

intrigue and feed my muse.

I could also say ~

my muse is the architecture of story 

that fascinates and maybe it is ~

the beautiful and elegant manner that

tellers and writers of story craft and weave words 

to lift me up, or to reveal the soul of reality.

Oh, and the sky.

My muse takes flight into 

the streaming clouds with geese,

black birds and meadow larks

while the sun's rays spread

brilliance throughout the day,

colours as evening wanes

letting the moon and stars

shine silver light across the velvet sky.

“To be a muse is to be a wonder in someone else’s eyes, flaws and all.”

~ L.H.Cosway, Still Life with Strings

Riches

Backing into the basics

of life where the land beckons, 

rooted within my soul

from ancestors far and near

turning over the soil of

yesterday and yesteryear,

new seeds are planted in 

soil old, yet rich with history.

“Let them look to the past, but let the also look to the future; 

let them look to the land of their ancestors, 

but let them look also to the land of their children.”

~ Wilfred Laurier

Chapter One, Episode 90 - Respect - Situationally Theirs

Review, Revision, Edit and Update
When I am reviewing any episode, my revisions are often preceded by a question about the reason for certain statements or sentences. For example: "Always dressed casually, this time Dez was dressed specifically in casual gardening clothes." This posed the question:  What is the difference between the underlined words? I was unable to define my own words, so pulled the mother card and replaced them with "Always dressed casually Dez often looked 'put together' as their mother would say. She still looked 'put together', but this time ready for hard work rather than going to out to lunch. Timing is another issue that I've gleaned from this episode - Joey and Samuel were having lunch, and, what seemed only a few minutes later, Dez and Emmie were talking about the immediacy of supper. I worked at balancing that issue. 

Respect

Emmie stopped for a moment on her way back to the Estate house to glance back to the two men, both her employees. Joey Tucker, young and just beginning to experience his life outside of home and Samuel Forrester, who had seen many decades of life and land. Joey, house cleaner for the upstairs at the house,  seemed eager to learn about life outside of home or school. His interest in the garden had been a pleasant surprise for Emmie. In that light, Samuel was probably the best teacher for education on the land. He did have a lot of stories to tell from his years, but the real education for his student was to learn by doing. Samuel would often said that he had to get back to work. At least that’s always what he said when it was time for his student to engage in his education. To begin with, Joey just thought he was going to grow some vegetables for his mother. He didn’t know that he would learn much more than how to plant, weed and harvest. Listening to Samuel intrigued him. He talked about the soil. The colour to be seen, the deep aroma when the soil is turned and the moisture to be felt as the soil spills between loose fingers. Joey had only ever thought of the plants and whether they had produced a lot of vegetables, not why.

A car pulling up to the back of the house, dragged Emmie's attention away from the scene at the garden. Her sister, Dez, had made a surprise visit. From the back seat she took an obviously well packed back pack. Dez shouldered her back pack and turned and waved to Emmie. Always dressed casually Dez often looked 'put together' as their mother would say. She still looked 'put together', but this time ready for hard work rather than going to out to lunch. From the trunk of the car, she took out a pair of rubber boots and leather gloves. Emmie approached the car “Dez, you look like you have a plan to get some serious work done. Are you staying the night?”

As Emmie approached, Dez, weighed down by all that she brought with her, adamantly said “No, sister dear. I’m here for the weekend. Matt has given me an orchard assignment.” Matt Hamilton, a friend, orchardist and beekeeper, would be helping Dez with her projects. "He'll be out on Sunday to see my progress. You and I have managed to mow down the grass between the trees, but now I have to find the irrigation system, if there is one. Do you suppose Samuel will be around on the weekend? He may know something about that.”

Emmie ran ahead of Dez to the back door. Opening it open for her, she replied “Dez, Samuel is here right now if you want to see him tonight. He’s out there with Joey Tucker, the new cleaner. Joey’s going to be taking care of that little garden plot I had Samuel dig up for me. I’m just not taking care of it. Joey heard me talking to Cook about it this afternoon and asked if he could take it over.”

“Is that Joey's bike?” Dez pointed to the slimline bike leaning up against the back porch. “It looks like a good one. I hope he locks it up when he’s in the city.”

Emmie nodded. “Yes it is. I'm sure he must take good care of it - it looks fairly expensive. He must have worked a lot of odd jobs to buy it and keep it in such good shape. His parents may have helped him buy it. Anyway, he’s out there with Samuel. The two of them seem to be getting along just fine.” Emmie followed Dez into the house. “Did you have anything to eat before you came out?”

Dez, put her gloves inside one boot and set her boots in the boot rack. Straightening up, she smiled “Only a snack. It's still to early for me to think about supper. I'll be hungry for supper when it's time. Cook has given me permission - actually almost an order - that when I come out and a meal is not too far off, I’m to come hungry. I can’t argue with that logic. But, has Cook started anything yet? If she hasn't, I have a suggestion for supper.” Dez put her backpack at the foot of the stairs. "Cook's already cooked up a pot of beef stew and has left for the day. She left me in charge of the stew on the stove. Her instructions: 'I've left I on low but be sure you don't let it burn and there's fresh scones on the table'." The sisters both laughed. Dez was relieved. Pizza or Cook's stew? There was no contest. "I guess all we'll need to do is set the table and eat when it's time."

"Dez, why don't you take your things upstairs and get settled in my old room? I've still got a few things to go over with Digby." Emmie was still trying to get a sense of the costs for the Estate. "He'll be done for the day shortly, so now's a good time for a short talk."

~~~~~

An hour later, Emmie and Digby's came out of his office. Digby, ready to call it a day and Emmie looking forward to the evening with her sister. Dez was already downstairs, had set the table and was going over the material Matt had given her. What to look for? Where the irrigation system might be? She looked up when she heard Emmie and Digby. Digby greeted Dez as he passed through the kitchen "Hello, Miss Dez. You two ladies have a good evening." 

Just as Digby left, Joey poked his head in the door. “I’m on my way now, Mrs. Beaufort. Hi Dez. Is Cook still here?” Emmie was pleased that he was letting her know that he was leaving. “Thanks for letting me know, Joey. Cook is gone for the day, but is there a message for her?” Emmie turned towards him from the stove where she was stirring the stew. “Just tell her that chocolate cake was the best and I didn’t share it with Samuel. I’ve got to get going or mom will be worried. I told her I’d be home by six and it’s already twenty after five. And thanks for the garden. Mom will be excited. Dad’s going to give me all kinds of gardening tips.” And Joey disappeared as fast as he had appeared, the door slamming as he left the house.

“Now there’s a respectful young man.” Dez was impressed. “Coming in to let you know he was leaving. Thanking you for the garden. Nice.”

Emmie brought the stew over to the table and handed a ladle to Dez. “He did have problems this morning with Sarah. It was really quite cute - at least to me. The poor kid was pretty upset. Almost ready to quit.” Emmie glanced up the stairs when she spoke.

“Really? What happened? Did she hurt him?” Dez was concerned. Her only experience with the Estate resident ghost was seeing her from a distance. Since then almost everyone had seen her at some time. Cook was the only one who hadn’t told her anything. “He didn’t look scared now, so he must have recovered.” Emmie laughed “It was probably the chocolate cake Cook put in Samuel's lunch basket.” She continued in amusement. “Our little ghost girl, Sarah didn’t hurt him. In fact, I think she has a crush on him and he doesn’t know what to do about it.” Emmie told Dez about what a pest Sarah was being and how frustrated Joey had been. From upstairs came the sound of furniture being moved.  Sarah must have been listening. Ignoring the noises from upstairs, Sarah asked Dez “Now, what was your idea?”

“I was going to suggest pizza, a movie and popcorn. But, we'll be replacing the pizza with the stew Cook left for you - and now me. After that, it’s still a movie and popcorn. I have to admit, Sarah being up there does make me a bit nervous. Is there a lock on the bedroom door - although I suppose ghosts don’t have problems with locks. How about A Beautiful Mind on Netflix?”

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t 

compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”

~ Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Chapter One, Episode 25 - From Here to There - Situationally Theirs

May 31, 2020

Review, Edit and Update

In From Here to There, Emmie's conversation with her sister Dez from the previous night has woken her early. Their discussion continues when Dez is awake and up; Emmie still becoming aware of what she does have in her life.

This Episode only required a bit of fixing:  a couple of typos and the addition of some detail. Otherwise, a pretty good read.

From Here to There

It was early morning. The sun slanted through the mudroom window, throwing a broad patch of brilliance through the kitchen door onto the well worn hardwood floor. Emmie came out of her room, pulling her blond hair back into a pony tail. Oddly, she wore an oversized grey t-shirt and loose fitting green plaid flannel pants, rather than her silk pyjamas. She had kept some of Mike’s things to wear when she was missing his love and belief in her. Emmie was in deep thought. Mechanically, she put water in the coffee machine, counted out scoops of coffee, put the pot under the spout and turned it on.  Resting her hands on the cupboard she hung her head, then straightened her shoulders and looked around. Bread for toast. I’ll have some toast. I need to get Cook back here to make more bread. I think this is the last loaf. Her forehead wrinkled. She wiped her hand across trying to smooth the worry down. She muttered something to herself, whispering so she wouldn't wake Dez. While she waited for the coffee to finish burping and dribbling she put the bread in the toaster. Without looking, she opened the blue cupboard door. A plate. I need a plate for my toast. This one will do. White with tiny blue flowers circling the rim, it was usually reserved for a serving plate. The butter and a knife are right here. Did I get those out? But there’s no jam. Emmie opened another cupboard door and reached for a mug. Before closing the cupboard door, she hesitated and stared into the cupboard as though looking for something. She closed the door gently. The coffee ready, she filled her mug with the steaming aromatic liquid. With her coffee in one hand, she picked up her plate of toast and set it down at the long kitchen table. Sitting down, she smoothed imaginary wrinkles on the table top, looked up and down its length as though she was trying see everyone. All those people she had employed that had shared a meal or just a cup of tea or coffee. Laughing and talking. 

“Emmie? What are you doing up so early? It’s just after seven." Dez yawned and stretched.

“oh, hi, Dez. I just couldn’t sleep so I thought a cup of coffee would be nice. When I saw Cook’s bread, I thought I’d have some toast. Did I wake you?”

Dez smiled as she combed her fingers through her long brown curls. She leaned back against the door jamb, knocking the frame of Martha’s precious pictures askew. She straightened it, then with a shiver she said “I’m cold. Let me grab my hoodie. Did you make enough coffee for both of us? That’s actually what woke me up ~ that and the toast. Put a couple of slices in for me, would you?” Dez leaned into Martha’s room, grabbed her deep purple hoodie pulling it over her head. “That’s better. Thanks. That coffee smells so good. Now tell me what’s wrong and don’t tell me nothing’s wrong because I won’t believe you.’

“Where do we start, Dez? I couldn’t stop thinking about everything you said last night. That I hadn’t taken everyone or everything into consideration when I wanted set up something for a couple of health care workers. So they could come here and not have to take the possibility of infection home to their families. How could I ask the rest of you to expose yourselves to satisfy my whim? I still want to do something. I can’t just sit out here and do nothing while you have to work and I’ve got so much.”

“That’s where we start then, Emmie.”

Emmie looked at Dez blankly. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, Emmie, you can’t be serious. What I mean is look at what you have, and I don’t just mean the money Mike left you.” Dez was, in fact, irritated that Emmie only thought about dollars and that seemed to be all she knew. Dez struggled to make ends meet. Had to be real creative many times about what she could do with what little she had. Here was her sister, feeling sorry for herself and not knowing what to do next. But, she would be patient. Her big sister was wrestling with not knowing. Not being in control. 

“Really, Dez, I am serious. I don’t know what you mean. I’ve been given or bought everything all my life. Even when we were kids, I got most of what I wanted.” Emmie grinned. “I did have to do a lot of talking sometime.”

“I know. I watched you twist Dad around your little finger. You were pretty good at that. But seriously. Grab your coffee and come with me.” Dez headed up the oak stairs to the second floor. 

“Where are we going? Why are we going upstairs? I went through everything up there yesterday.”

“Stop asking questions and follow me. It has nothing to do with the upstairs. Here. Stand in front of this window.” Dez had set her coffee down on the dining room table and opened the curtains that faced west. The sun was sending tentative fingers around the house beginning to light up the scene before them. “Look.”

“Look at what? What am I supposed be seeing?”

Dez had to take a deep breath ~ in fact she had had to take a lot of deep breaths around Emmie this last while. “You’re supposed to be seeing what I’m seeing. The huge garden you have and the land around it.” 

“What good is all of that? .,,,,,,,,Oh……I think I get it?” The light was dawning slowly in Emmie’s eyes. “But I haven’t had the gardener and yard man here for ages. I don’t even know if anything got planted. There probably isn’t anything much in the ground yet because it’s only April. I’m not a farmer or a gardener but I think it’s still too early. But I have another question, Dez. What if this Covid thing is over before we’re ready be of any help?” 

Another deep breath. This is my older sister, right? Right. And I’m supposed to be the wise one in all of this? “Let’s go back down to the kitchen where it’s warmer. I don’t think you have to worry about this ‘Covid thing’ being over any time soon according to the experts, but if it is there will still be a lot of people needing someone to help them out. What’s important is that you have what so many don’t have, and I’m not talking about the dollars. I’m talking about the land. You have a garden that is only taking up a small part of your 30 acres. If you made a bigger garden….but I’m getting ahead of myself. I just wanted you to see what is right around you.”

“My original idea was to provide at least two beds for healthcare workers to use so they won’t have to go home. You showed me that I hadn’t really thought about it all. And now you start talking about the land? You’ve just made this bigger than even I thought about. Now I really don’t know where to start.” Emmie poured another cup of coffee. “Where I’ll start is where we left off yesterday. I need to talk to Digby, Martha and Cook and see what they think of my idea, and whether we can make it work. Digby will know how to contact the gardener/yardman to see what work he will be starting. I hope and want them all to be well. I’ll see if there is a website, maybe you can help me with that, for volunteers for providing extra beds and what rules need to be followed.” Emmie’s coffee growing cold, she had her notebook and was busily writing all of this down as she talked. Dez just sipped on her second cup of coffee, watching her big sister take control.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. 

You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.”

Dr. Seuss,  Oh, the Places You’ll Go

Road Blocks and Scraps

Estimating time and distance over land, sea or in the sky

is relatively easy.

Estimating time and distance from head to heart oft encounters deep pot holes, sharp rocks, giant boulders, fierce fences, stormy weather and ...........

Estimating time and distance to meet these annoying or frightening challenges

involves digging deep for 

even the smallest scrap of courage.

“The head learns new things, but the heart forever practices old experiences.”

~ Henry Ward Beecher