With Only Minutes

With hesitation and not a 

little annoyance I could see 

a middle aged man stop on 

the very sidewalk I needed 

to get to my appointment. He had 

stopped, looking intently 

at his cell phone. A business call perhaps. None of my business, 

except that he blocked my way. 

I had my cane, and could have 

tried to move him out of the way, 

but I’m not a violent person. 

And he was bigger and younger than me. 

Deciding to take the pathway on the neighbouring 

property that connected to my destination, 

I was greeted by these gorgeous prairie lilies 

nestled in the greenery. I must have done a little 

stop - start - stop as I only had minutes to spare. 

But the beautiful orange wings of prairie lilies 

have always captured my heart and my imagination. 

After all what could happen ~ would I be shown 

the door before I even got there? Not likely. 

I just don’t like to be late. I risked it anyway 

when these beloved prairie lilies shone on my path.

“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be

 mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.”

~ Iris Murdoch

Always a Path

The squirrel cage of overthinking always needs a walk in the park, bringing spinning thoughts to play 

in winter snow 

 or summer sun

  or springtime gardens 

    or kicking leaves in the fall

to find the path 

running through it all.

“If you don’t know where you want to go, 

then it doesn’t matter which path you take.”

~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Keep Moving

Stay where your feet are

too logical!

unless heartstrings pluck 

faint notes of a dream

without form 

without substance

the path forward

luminous in mist

breathe deep and slow

time allowed to pass

the path forward opens 

one step at a time

with more form 

with more substance

so heartstrings pluck 

clear notes of a dream

Stay where your feet are

Yes ~ very logical!

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”

~ Vincent Willem van Gogh

On an Afternoon Walk - A Summer Wander

Meandering a walkway lined with bushes laden with berries, 

grasshoppers hum in long grasses

Wascana Creek paused and slow

in the heat of this summer afternoon

off the beaten path into open park,

elm trees offering shady oases, until

a gravelled path directed me into 

a peaceful neighbourhood

when a wide back alley 

lured me onward 

back yards hidden 

by fences and flowers, 

a sly glance at a garden 

abundant with vegetables

From pathway to open park, 

gravelled path to back alley, to 

cement sidewalk all the way home.

“Summertime is always the best of what might be.”

~ Charles Bowden

Just Because ~ 1

To follow 

the walking path 

past the lake

To rest 

on the dedicated bench

to look out on the lake

or

To take a walk

through leafy shade

past rabbits and squirrels

To take a detour

from here to there

just because I felt like it……

“But the beauty is in the walking — we are betrayed by destinations.”

~ Gwyn Thomas

Sculptured Snow

The glistening whiteness of the snow
was not translated well by my cell phone camera.

I could go out the front door

just sweep the snow away ~

A much easier path to take

From the back door, deep glistening snow half way up to my knees asks my inner child out to play 

Icicles dripped from the eaves

slipping down the afternoon sun ~ powdered snow softened in it’s warmth

To cut a path through

the mounded snow before me

asks my inner adult to take charge

so that I am whole ~

my footprints leading me

away, then back to home and hot tea.

“Wholeness is ordinary, it’s simple. It doesn’t come with fireworks. 

It’s the undisturbed calmness inherent to the space that is you.”

~ Lauri Buchanan, Phd.

Chapter Two, Episode Forty-Five - A New Path - Situationally Theirs

A New Path

Living again inside the comings and goings of the Estate, Elizabeth often heard snippets of passing conversations. This morning, while Miss Em and Brigitte were having breakfast there was only tension. Filling the sink with hot water and soap, she washed up the few dishes from their breakfast. “Elizabeth! Good morning. Have you got tea ready?” Drying her hands on the kitchen towel she kept handy, she went to the cupboard for more mugs. “Good morning, Martha. Tea’s ready - and coffee’s ready for James.” 

James took Martha’s light jacket and hung their things in the mudroom off the kitchen. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I’m ready for a second cup of coffee. Any news from your side of the world this morning?” He went to the fancy coffee machine that he hadn’t wanted to purchase. Brigitte had been so good to Miss Em that he finally gave in. She spent more hours with her than she was paid for. After only a week, he couldn’t understand why he had been so stubborn. 

“James and I passed Miss Em and Brigitte on our way in, Elizabeth. They looked to be in pretty deep and serious discussion. Do you know what’s going on?” Martha helped herself to croissants and jam still on the table from breakfast. “Come sit down. Work will wait for a bit longer. You look worried, Elizabeth.”

“Oh, not worried, Martha, dear. Just a bit troubled I suppose. You know Miss Em and Brigitte usually talk and laugh about things - whether it’s serious business or what Samuel, or you or I are doing……..Well, this morning, the tension in here was so thick I could almost see it. They hardly said anything to each other over breakfast. Just walked out of here together, Brigitte almost in tears.” She picked up a croissant and thoughtfully broke it in half, taking a bite as she looked toward the back door.

~~~~~

“So who do you want to tell first? Martha? You’ve been renting from her. Are you going to UVic or to UBC on the mainland? If you go to UVic you could keep Martha’s little place and have a nice quiet place to study.” Miss Em had gone through a range of emotions with Brigitte’s news that she would be leaving the Estate. Sadness, fear and a bit of panic that she would be losing her to a different world. Without realizing it, she was flooded with excitement for this new journey. One that she had barely finished before marrying Michael and getting lost in the Beaufort world.

“Slow down, Miss Em. I applied at both places and a couple of others on the mainland. I was accepted at all of them, but decided to stay on the Island. I’m an Island girl and that’s where I want to stay. Especially since all the Covid worries and restrictions. I don’t want to be half way across the country from mom and dad. I’ll talk to Martha about her place. My parents may help me out with the rent. And I can help out around here, if ever it’s needed and I’m not buried in books.”

Walking around the track, they were almost back where they started. “Didn’t we pass James and Martha when we left the house, Miss Em? I was so upset I barely noticed them.”

Miss Em was planning. She would contribute to the rent for Martha’s house. She’d have her eat over at the Manor. On days when Jeremy was working, she could help her study…… “That’s just crazy”

“What? You’re talking to yourself, Miss Em.” Brigitte was so relieved that she’d finally told Miss Em. Now her boss was looking more excited that she felt! She wouldn’t be losing anything. 

“I’m sorry, Brigitte. I was just thinking about what an exciting thing you’re doing. Took me back a lot of years. I didn’t finish what I started when I went to University. Oh, I did finish my time there, but Michael and I married and I didn’t pursue a career. I’m so glad that you are on this path now. Anything I can do, please ask. If I ever get too intrusive, you just tell me. Dez is going to be so excited!” Brigitte stifled a laugh, her boss was stumbling over her words!

“I was so worried that you’d be mad at me! You’re not mad at all - just kind of….well…. mad as a Hatter. Now I’m worried that you’ve lost it. To answer your question about who to tell first, let’s get back in the kitchen and tell Martha, James and Cook. They should be just about finished their morning visit. We’ll give them something more to talk about.”

“There was some relief in letting go of those dreams, 

of silently accepting their fate and embracing the unknown.”

~ E.C.Colton, Shards of Sky

On a Morning Walk - A Wandering

Slowing my stride,

sun warm on my face

a new path lay ahead ~

over the bridge, 

up and around an island

manned by geese and ducks

on tiptoe I peered over a wall

to sight across the lake 

the path from whence I’d come

I wandered home by 

a different path to a

park where blackbirds sing ~

my morning walk had

eased body, soul and mind.

“Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.”

~ Steven Wright

Photo-ops

I stopped in my tracks ~ 

The sun ~

angling for photo-ops ~

settled to the horizon and

let golden paths ribbon and spread through leafless trees

to play second fiddle to its glory.

“Call for the grandest of all earthly spectacles, what is that? 

It is the sun going to his rest.”

~ Thomas de Quincey

Above the Fray

 

Walking in warm sunshine,

ice mushed beneath my boots,

thin coatings of muddy water shine the path to Willow Island, where a feeding frenzy of emerald headed ducks and their hens fend off much taller Canada geese, while pigeons watch from above the fray.

“Birds are, perhaps, 

the most eloquent expression 

of reality.”

~ Roger Tory Peterson

(1908 - 1996)

Sunset 2

My path curved

past the frozen lake

my breath came sharply

in the winter chill.

“Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, 

everyday can end beautifully.”

~ Kristen Butler

Walk On

Each day entertains us with questions, curiosities with answers just out of reach.

Lovely stews of wondering and opinions ~

    about hope or fantasy

     about fears or fiction with

progress slow and maybe a bit muddy.

Accidental progress may come from a quick glance or on a new page.

If we follow our curiosities, 

open doors and new paths will be revealed. 

“One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates 

the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous 

structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely 

to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.”

~ Albert Einstein “Old Man’s Advice to Youth: 

‘Never Lose a Holy Curiosity.’

LIFE Magazine (2May1955) p.64”