Suspending time,
memories slid into view,
softened treasures cherished,
blackened edges honoured
~ yesterday’s blossoms of
learning, knowing and feeling.
Suspending time,
memories slid into view….
“As long as there are memories, yesterday remains.”
~ Billy Joel, pianist
I had the dough. Pizza dough, in fact. The kind you get in the refrigerated section in the grocery store. The dough, compressed in the little ultramarine blue tube, waited for me to make pizza. Every time I opened the fridge door, it seemed to stare accusingly at me. Yesterday, I decided enough was enough. I didn’t have the ingredients for a pizza, but dough is dough. Right? Not quite. Stiff and unyielding, I did manage to make several small rolls, but they didn’t cooperate. Not soft and fluffy. Dense and when I tasted one, too salty!! What to do, what to do? Crackers. I’ve wanted to make my own crackers for a long time, so bread knife in hand, I sliced them all up. Into a slow oven for about an hour, they crisped up beautifully, the white bread turned caramel brown. Although still too salty, a little cracker worked nicely with cream cheese and a little marmalade!
“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking
you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
~ Julia Child
p.s. - Julia's quotation is one I’ve used often and will probably use it again.
 |
| Publisher: Blue Orange Games |
I learned a new board game tonight!
Played with strategy and puzzle pieces
Participants: 1 seven year old and 3 adults.
Since I was old enough to move the marbles on the Chinese checkerboard, our family has played Crokinole, Risk, Chess, Monopoly, many, many different card games, and more that have drifted to the bottom of my memory. This new one may look like a silly child’s game, but it has a good strategy to it, and designed with youthful colours and pictures. I had fun. And more delicious food and wonderful family company. What a satisfying Christmas gift!!
“In every conceivable manner, the family is
a link to our past, and a bridge to our future.”
~ Alex Haley
Naive about the world outside medicine, Dr. Jeremy Crawford felt helpless. He and Em had both known the lands of the Estate before the pandemic. Before Michael Beaufort, his friend and Em’s husband, had died. It was merely a place to play. He knew nothing about what was involved, even though Michael commiserated with him many times. Jeremy had always been good at making him laugh and take a day - or a week - off. That’s what Michael had called it ‘a day off’. It had been a struggle to get him to take ‘a week off’. His wife and Em had been best of friends and let the two of them be ‘boys’. His wife had died, then the pandemic descended on the world and in the midst of it all he and Em married. They’d been happy with the arrangement til now. She lived mostly on the Estate while he worked his shifts at the hospital, keeping an apartment in Hartley. Things had gotten tense lately. He was tired after the long three years of Covid 19. Long shifts, so many people dying, cases of long Covid and now more cases of Covid as the seasons were changing. Covid infections, RSV plus the usual flu seasons were beginning. He was just tired and needed Em’s calm and love more than ever.
Jeremey was stuck. At work, he was used to thinking on his feet, calling the shots or talking a problem over with a colleague. When he came home, Em would be there for supper, maybe even for a few nights and they would be together. He had spent some time with Matt the night before and come away feeling only a bit better. Should he take Matt up on his invitation to help him out at his orchard? He had some time off, time that he could spend with Em, but he needed to know more about the life Em was consigning herself to. Consigning? He shook his head. “No, she was excited about it. I need to know more.” He checked his cell phone, no messages. He sent her a quick note “Love you, Em. I’m going to be at Matt’s if you need me.” He hesitated over each word, wondering what she’d imagine.
~~~~~
Emelina’s phone buzzed. She and Dez were walking out to inspect their orchard, hoping that Samuel would be there. She kept walking while she checked the message. “It’s from Jeremy. I’ll answer it later.” They kept walking. “Do you really think we can do this, Dez? Neither one of us knows much about gardening let alone taking on the orchard and the bees. You’ve certainly got more knowledge than I do.” Her excitement had died down as she realized the huge responsibility she was taking on. “All I know for sure, Em, is that we can at least try. When I started with the orchard, I thought it would be a piece of cake. And then Samuel told me about blights, worms, moths, weather, not enough water or too much water, birds sampling apples with sharp beaks. I was ready to turn tail and run.” She laughed “I’m even starting to talk like Samuel. He’s never steered me wrong and he’s never done the work for me. With me, but not for me.” Em smiled at her sister. “We did get more apples this year, didn’t we?” Arriving at the orchard they could hear the migrant pickers calling out to each other. Some of the apple varieties were late. When this was done, the pickers would move on to the next orchard - peaches, pears, grapes - whatever was next to be picked. They roamed the Island, most coming from the mainland.
Samuel came out of the shed, wiping his hands on his kerchief. “Mornin’, ladies. What’s this I hear 'bout you goin’ to be workin’ with us, Miss Em? You sure you want to get dirt under your fingernails. Guess that was kind of impolite. Didn’t mean it that way. You’re just always dressed so nice.” Emelina smiled. “Don’t worry about it, Samuel. It’s been a surprise to a lot of people. Guess I’ll have to learn how to take care of my fingernails though. You’re the man who’s worked on the outside of this Estate the longest. Where do I start? I need your knowledge, if you’re willing to share it.” She turned to Dez “I feel like I’m in the first grade all over again!”
Samuel pushed his old battered hat back on his head and looked up at the sky. Dez chuckled “Is that where you get your answers, Samuel?” He looked at the two women, and although he wasn’t sure that they’d get the job done, they seemed pretty serious. Settling his hat back the way he liked it, he looked them both in the eye. “First, get to know what’s in the shed. Know the tools you’re goin’ to need to work with. We need to have a sit down so I can let you know what happens in fall, what we need to done for winter and what needs to be ready for spring.” Dez spoke up “Don’t forget all the books you told me to read. You started me off on that one about Seeds.” Samuel was leading them into the shed. “I wasn’t goin’ to forget. A few folks think that books can’t tell you much about farming, but……” He stopped. “Come up to my place, oh, say this afternoon and I’ll get you started on your homework. Didn’t your sister tell you about her homework?” Em gave Dez a sidelong glance. “No, she didn’t!
“I also didn’t tell you that he said to get to know every tree. And when we got the apiary boxes in he told me the same thing.” Imitating the old gardener she said ‘The trees and the bees need to know whose takin’ care of them.’” Now, Emelina looked confused. “How on earth would that make a difference?” Samuel and Dez shared a knowing look “If trees don’t trust you they won’t grow right. If the bees don’t trust you, you’re goin’ a get stung more than once.” Emelina wasn’t sure that they were serious even though they looked serious. But she’d asked for his help and this was part of it so if she had to be a tree hugger she would.
Samuel’s cell phone rang. “It’s Elizabeth. Says your lunch is ready.” He pocketed it and said “I’ll walk up with you and get my sandwich. We can get to the books after. And we didn’t finish in the shed. But we need to clear off the garden first. I’ve got it started, but we’ve got to get dirt under those fingernails.” He smiled “We’ll get you all fixed up, Miss Em.”
“Study hard what interests you the most in the most
undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible.”
~ Richard Feynmann
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
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
swirls around me
distant and hopeful ~
students in the far corner
with laptops open.
learning to be ~
father and son
laughing and munching
on sweet crullers with coffee.
“I didn’t want normal until I didn’t have it anymore.”
~ Maggie Stiefvater, Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception
~ but how
How is a life….
No ~ a worthy life ~
created with joy and balance
But balance can be boring unless... pacing up and down a teeter-totter
or finding balance on its very centre.
Hmmm…
There’s a thought ~
Create a playground!
Ready!
for joy and fun
learning and laughing.
All of
my own design.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
~ Walt Disney
Everything has a …….
Sensibilities are…..
Ideas are…..
Greater things can…..
Nature has its own……
“I am always doing that which I cannot do,
in order that I may learn how to do it.”
~ Pablo Picasso
Icy wind at my back
like cold fingers
pushing me forward
in this still new
life of retirement
learning the ways
and beliefs of
me, myself and I.
As spring arrives and
summer follows ~
seasons change while
prairie winds blow
warm, hot, or cool
still pushing me forward
learning the ways
and beliefs of
my renewed community.
“I am still learning.”
~ Michelangelo
**Inspired by this afternoon’s walk in a wintery-spring wind.
We have become
like islands
surrounded by ice
roiling life below
waiting for the ice to break
Like islands
we are filled with life
growing and learning
despite claustrophobic restrictions
we will survive.
“We each survive in our own way.”
~ Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass
Review, Revision, Edit and Update
