Latest News from England

An article in the New York Times by D.T. Max reports Lord Redesdale whose family has been in England since 1049 is taking up arms against the American Gray squirrels. The Grays are taking over the United Kingdom and replacing their Red squirrels! How odd that sounds. Somehow when I think of the Brits trying to take over our country in the 1700s, I see them as all wearing red uniforms. I never realized the squirrels sport the same color coats.

Our squirrels were brought over to England in the 19th century as an oddity, a plaything to be kept in cages. But when the aristocracy became bored and tired of their latest toy, they let them loose. Now the Grays are outnumbering the British Red squirrels. The Brits are trying to preserve their own species.

The Reds are considered well-behaved, never making a nuisance of themselves or misbehaving like the ‘you-know-who’ obnoxious squirrels do. Sounds like their common opinion of our citizens, too.

Just the Two of Us

This morning I woke up singing. Where does that come from? I’d no music playing in the house last night. And the song, "Just the Two of Us" was from the ‘70s, a few phrases just running around in my head. Who sent this song to me and planted it there to play and re-play until I can find something to crowd it out of my mind? I’ll never know for sure.

My son Guy Arlen’s birth day is today. He would have been 45 years old. Hmmmm. I wonder if he sent me that song. I was talking about him yesterday to a woman whose son also passed away in his 20s. It would be just like Guy to send me a song for his birthday.

Synchronicity continues

A month or so ago I regaled in the synchronicity of a lost dog twelve miles away and the thread of people and events that led him back to his grateful owners. I had no idea, even after the dog was returned, where he belonged. I needed to know only that he was home safe and sound and everybody was happy again. End of story? Not really.

I got to talking with a couple I’ve never met before at the Lake Gaston Estates Association Hors d’ourves Social Night last week. As our conversation began flowing and became more animated I mentioned sitting at the beach early in the morning to write in my journal.

“Oh, my gosh! You’re the woman who wrote our telephone number on her shirt.”

I had to laugh ‘cause I knew immediately what she was talking about. The synchronicity that led the lost dog home, led the dog’s owners to me, too. In a moment we became fast friends when this unseen thread brought us together. As we continued talking we found other similarities in our lives also.

But that’s another story.

Golf Links

There’s nothing like stepping into a new situation and learning a new job that leads to seeing what others always saw and I didn’t. I recently started working at the Golf Links here in Lake Gaston. It took one ride in a golf cart over the hills, down the valleys, through the forests, and around the pond to have this golf course slip under my skin and open my mind.

My artist eyes feasted on the pale green of the ‘greens’ surrounded by a darker velvety green collar and another green flowing down the fairway with a different green of the rough. All this is framed by the many greens of the trees. The Carolina blue sky seems to compliment and complete the painting. Ireland’s patchwork quilt landscape came immediately to mind.

I’ve driven passed many golf courses over the years and just thought them boring. Ho hum. Where’s the excitement? Now I know. It’s here at the Golf Links.

A Note to My New Jersey Friends

Be not afraid that I am lonely in a strange land. Some of you, dear friends, were concerned when I first left the cozy, comfortable nest of Bordentown to settle as a recluse among the forests of North Carolina seeking the solitude of a writer’s life. No more delicate teas, convivial breakfasts at the Park Street Café. No more discussion lunches with my intelligent, interesting friends. No more wine-soaked dinners on the deck of Marcello’s or inside any of the wonderful Bordentown restaurants where we recorded the memories we hold so close to our hearts.

A few of you feared for my in-activity. What would I do with all that empty time?
Relax, I’m back working part-time, this past week I’ve put in 60+ hours. I’ve been meeting wonderful people, great discussions with folks just stopping by to chat, riding golf carts like a Texan surveying his 10,000 acre ranch and enjoying myself tremendously on the job. A customer even brought me half of a pound cake (that’s not a ½ pound cake.) Sound familiar? It’s my old life in a new place. Hmmmmm. I wonder if anyone will bring me real Irish Soda Bread in March?

Fish 'n Stuff

Journaling 7:30 in the morning while sitting on a picnic table at the beach is a lovely, peaceful way to begin the day. After a healthy walk the day seems to awaken slowly with grace. The fastest thing happening is the sun rising quickly this time of year. At least it seems too quick.

The water is still quiet without the wake of boats but I do see ‘nips’ in the water ending with circles of water moving gently. ‘The fish nibbling at the bugs in the air, appetizers’ I tell myself. But a week or so ago I saw a fish leap out of the water exposing half his body. It was a big body!

I’ve seen photos of this on covers of fishing magazines but I never thought I’d see this live! It must have been a special day ‘cause ten minutes later I found myself watching a sort of square-ish-shaped head moving around near the shoreline. I stared trying to decipher what it could be. ‘A snake’ I thought, ‘now that the rip-rap is in place.’ Later I realized it must have been a turtle with only his head showing. He was having a fun time swimming around before the crowd got there. I knew exactly how he felt.

Snow Day

While going through some files I came across a diary entry for the 6th of December 2003. If feels good just to read this in the 98-degree weather we’ve been having. It’s also a different world from my life today. Here goes :
I am fully awake at 6:30 am. Lady Jane lays at the top of my bed and Mz Lizzie is on the opposite corner. They wait patiently for me to stretch and rise. It’s been snowing now for 24 hours. Everything is covered with white including sky. Lying here, I’m thinking ‘why did I give my snow shovel to Bill Brady?’ Because it was beat up, that’s why. And I intended to buy a new one this year at the same time that I bought the sidewalk melt. But winter came on seemingly overnight. I should have parked my car in Sola & Elsie’s garage. But I didn’t even think of that yesterday, either.
Totally remodeling and moving the books into one shop has taken its toll on me. I am exhausted most of the time. I’m carrying books or finding room for stuff that hasn’t been sold on ebay yet. Today is my Holiday Open House so I’d better get up and get moving.
Lady Jane and Mz Lizzie dance around waiting for me to descend the stairs to select something good for their breakfast. When they peer out of the windows, their eyes open even wider than usual. ‘Just what is going on?’ seems to be their thoughts. They look from the outside white, to me and back again. Laughing, I tell them about snow. I’ve never seen this much snow before Christmas and we’re promised more!
By 7:30 I’m at the Farnsworth Deli. One can always rely on them being open in any kind of weather. Kinda’ grumbling, I stock up on the stuff for the Open House that I should have bought yesterday. But yesterday was my numb day. So here I am now trudging through ten inches of snow with a heavy sack over my shoulder. The air and snow isn’t really so bad though.
The Post Office is devoid of other ebayers. I am the only one here this morning. I mail another Christmas present to a lucky winner of my ebay auction. I have one less item to find room for in the bookshop. I’m rather enjoying this winter by the time I reach home.
Murat is in the shop before I even have the pot of chocolate hot. He’s been around town taking photographs. He insists that I step outside for a photo shoot. His natural joy in everything is refreshing. Not at all surprising is the number of people that have been in my shop by 11 am. On the first day of snow, everyone likes to cocoon, the second day it’s considered cabin fever. Cars are left parked where they were and everyone gets out to trek. As it quiets down a little, writing Christmas Cards seem like a good idea.

How it Works

If you know me at all, you’re used to hearing (probably tired of it) me talk about synchronicity. Today after my morning walk, I sat on the picnic table at the beach to journal. I was lost in thought in this peaceful time when I heard, “Miss, Miss.”

Anyone calling me ‘miss’ deserves my attention.

I looked around to see two folks, car door open seeking to ask a question. White slavers never entered my mind. One look and they would know it was a losing proposition-for them. An anxious looking woman continued, “have you seen a medium-sized black dog with a red collar? She’s very friendly. Dixie is her name. We’re down here in the Estates on vacation when a thunderbolt from the storm the other day startled her and the grandkids kinda let her get out.”

She took a much-needed deep breath. I could see she was upset. By this time I was up next to their car, leaving my journal back on the table with my water bottle. It wasn’t the black dog chasing me the other day. That was plain right away. We spoke a few minutes more. I then wrote her telephone number down on my shirt. (Good memory, but very short.)

Three hours later while I’m up to my elbows in canning tomato sauce, Laura calls me to ask if I can help a friend who found a black dog hanging around her house in the Estates for the last few days. “Red collar?” I burst out. “I have the owners’ telephone number right here.”

I think she stuttered before saying, “really?”

Synchronicity strikes again, just like Batman used to do! Or was that Wonder Woman?

Walking and Dogs

I walk early in the morning around 6:30ish, while it’s still cool and the sun isn’t blinding. I start at the beach, walk for about 45 minutes then spend time sitting atop a picnic table on the beach journaling. It’s a wonderful good-to-be-alive experience.

That is until yesterday, when three dogs, a collared white with black markings, a white with brown markings and a fully black puppy came charging up the road toward me. They were barking and angry deafening the quiet peacefulness of daybreak. Only forest, no houses were nearby so they weren’t defending any personal territory. I stopped dead in my tracks breathed deeply and waited until they got about ten feet from me. They stopped but stayed in their aggressive stance. That’s when I turned, very slowly, aware of my heart pounding but still moving very slow, I started walking back in the direction I came.

Two of them followed me. They stopped barking but continued to follow me up to the entrance to the park/beach area before they retreated to look for another victim.

Whew! It takes the joy out of walking.

Picnic on Water

Picnics and I go back a long way. Joy was a company picnic my bachelor uncle took my brother and me to each summer. It was always in some farmer’s field where we had plenty of room to run, a pond to swim in and an outhouse to use as a facility. Huge pots for corn and commercial sized grills were put to good use. These were big picnics where fifty cars filled the lot.

Then there were the family/friends picnics at the lake when it would take at least five or six cars to carry us all. We were like a procession leaving early in the morning and arriving home late at night.

My stepfather, mother, brother and I carried picnic baskets to the Jersey shore where we swam in the ocean. Mom had to call me over and over again to get me out of the water. I loved the ocean in those days. It was clean and considered healing.

Two of my sons were born in the summer so I hosted picnics for birthday parties. Lots of kids descended on our backyard to swim, eat and sing Happy Birthday.

A new picnic experience was added to my list the other night. To celebrate Laura’s birthday and Pam’s surgery recovery Macon, Lynn and I carried picnic goodies out to the pontoon boat. When we all climbed aboard, Lily did a ‘Kate Winslet on the Titanic’ stance. Lily’s a poodle and the leader of the pack.

Picnicking at sunset on the water with great friends is an awesome experience. Better than therapy or maybe it is therapy.

Ridgeway Cantaloupes

I just returned from my second Cantaloupe Festival in Ridgeway North Carolina. This year I worked as volunteer for the Warren County Arts Council seeking new memberships. It’s definitely more fun for me to work at an event than just to visit. Somehow I seem to see more.

The event started off with a prayer and a gal singing the “Star-Spangled Banner.” All the chattering and giggling stopped throughout the fest grounds and a silence swelled up when she began to sing. It happened instantly. I don’t know how they knew at the far end of the field when she began, but the silence fell like a heavy curtain. Hearty applause followed and the happy chattering voices began again.

Heading for the ladies’ room I made an abrupt stop to check out the pretty pink 1950 Ferguson tractor. Life-size, working tractor. Neat. I love this combination of equality and femininity. Live music played off to the left under a grove of trees shading the many chairs and the stage. Over to the right a group was making handmade ice cream.

Huge pots of Brunswick Stew were bubbling up for lunch inside the air-conditioned building. A bowl of stew, slice of bread and sweet tea was $3.00. Delicious, as all the other foods and drinks offered. I saw a booth with peanuts every which way you can think of; boiled, fried, roasted, etc. and cantaloupe smoothies cold enough to cool you down in the hot sun.

Quality crafts, arts and antiques were offered, as were free gifts from the Farm Bureau and the Warren County Economic Development. I added sliced cantaloupe ‘stress balls’ and a pink cap to the bag of goodies I bought. It was a delightful day in a country atmosphere.

Rory Block Concert

An exciting example of synchronicity happened recently while at a Warren County Arts Council Board meeting. We had less than two months to spend grant money and it had to fit the guidelines of using the grant money. What to do? What to do?

A first-time attendance by neighbor Tina Terry had the answer. She’s an agent for several singers/musicians. She came to the meeting because of an item I put in our Community Newsletter. A suggestion spoken, have a concert that appeals to the demographics of our county!

We all agreed, Tina came forth with Rory Block, an acoustic guitarist, singer of traditional country blues. Rory has been recording since 1965 and is respected as an interpreter of the late, legendary Robert Johnson’s music of the Deep South.

To expand the concert to an even greater level, the Straightway Ministries Choir, gospel singers, was invited to sing with her. Blues Meets Gospel will be performed on the grounds of Magnolia Manor just south of Warrenton. To make this thrilling Saturday night, June 16th even better, the $35 value concert is free to Warren County residents. A gift from their County Arts Council. Wow!

Of course the members of the Board have done a lot of work together to put this event together and to pull it off in such a short time.

But I just happened to put an item in the newsletter, Tina just happened to read it and just happened to attend a meeting for the first time and she just happened to be representing artists that fit our guidelines. The Board just happened to pick up on a great idea. That’s synchronicity.

Haliwa-Saponi Pow Wow

The 42nd Annual Pow Wow of the Haliwa-Saponi Native Americans was held this past weekend in near-by Hollister. Because of other commitments I couldn’t get there until Sunday. Next year they will be first on my list.

I stepped into an area of a people brilliant regaled for this gathering of tribal traditions. Their appearance was awesome with feather headdresses and intricately sewn silver, beads and feathers into their attire. With the drums constantly thumping it was easy, with a little imagination, to place myself back to an earlier time. The feel of a serious gathering of tribes permeated the afternoon. No commercialism here, thankfully.
Some Apache and Lakota Sioux joined in the competition of dance and drumming for prizes up to $15,000. Several booths surrounded the outlying area of the Blessed Circle, which was lined with bleachers for folks soaking in the background and education of the tribal dances and singing. The booths offered fine crafts of silver, leather and other traditional Native items. One fellow had statues and totems of wood detailed and full of originality. It was a pleasure just to look, like being in an outdoor museum.

Rabies Shots Day

Another volunteer event for CAP went by smoothly and successfully. I was delightedly surprised that all volunteers signed up, showed up. One fellow was already in line when I arrived at 7:45. The event wasn’t scheduled to begin until 9! He was a cheerful fellow though, and jumped right in to help set up tables, chairs etc. By 8:30 there must have been ten cars lined up and the line kept growing.

Several of us took clipboard in hand to fill in the register forms, walking to each individual so no one had to leave their cars. As one gentle gal headed for a truck she heard “Shut up, Judy!” Her head jerked up and her eyes popped wide. No one ever talked to her that way! The fellow must have seen the expression on her face. “Sorry, that’s my dog’s name.” He was a bit sheepish.

Of course there is always one; one car stopped and wouldn’t start. Help came and jumped her battery. She didn’t lose her place in line, though. Her two pets got their rabies shots without extra waiting.
After a satisfying morning of working in the sun with a parade of dogs and cats, all with their own personalities, the volunteers met at the Hardware Café for a late lunch. This is where bonding of volunteers takes place-at breaking bread together after a busy day’s work. The rabies shots were free but many people gladly made donations. Dr. Amy O’Malley attended 203 animals.

The Hills are Alive

The hills are alive, not with the sound of music but with the beautiful wild pink and white dogwood trees and dark pink umbrella trees. The green of the fir trees create a backdrop like a heavy velvet stage curtain for little girls in pastel tutus.

It’s spring and the forests of North Carolina are gorgeous. The roadways are lined with tiny little light blue and white wildflowers. Wisteria runs along fences and up trees. The daffodils are still blooming after a few weeks. The forsythias are shouting, “It’s Spring! It’s Spring!” Just in case someone didn’t notice.

Green is everywhere. Great expanses of lawns look lush and thick waiting to be walked on with bare feet. The farmers’ fields are growing high with green (rye?) slightly swaying in the breeze. The Bradford Pear trees were all white a week ago, now they’re as green as the beer of an Irishman on St. Paddy’s Day.

It’s glorious!

My Girls

So it’s the next day after Jane’s haircut. She’s adapting. She’s come out of hiding, still quiet but at least out from under the bed. Lizzie tried to tease her a bit last night. Lizzie got a hiss from Jane. First time I ever heard a hiss from Jane, Lizzie yes, Jane never.

I did some cooing and gooing, mimicking Laura’s tone and manner. It’s working. Jane’s feeling much better this morning. She’s at her post at the front door watching and listening to the birds, including some big black crows, squirrels and rabbits.

My education in Cat has begun. I hit the PC last night seeking others with more knowledge than I on the matting of cat fur. And dandruff. Is that dandruff on her back?
Is my girl lacking in some vitamin or something? Should she stay embarrassed, like on the TV commercials? Oh my! Dandruff! Will she be shunned socially? At lease dandruff won’t show on her shirt-she doesn’t wear one.

I still haven’t found out how or why but I did learn about grooming and combing.
Something new.

Lady Jane

Poor Lady Jane is embarrassed and hiding. The fur along her spine has been matted for some time now. It looked clumped along the ridge of her back. Joe G. noticed it when he visited and mentioned it. She’s a Manx. I thought it was supposed to be like that. Duh.

Apparently not. Thanks to Laura Thompson of ‘Pride and Groom’ I’m starting my new education on cat grooming. A little late in coming but you know the old saying. She buzzed her clippers easy and gently, little by little, talking to Jane softly. Keeping her as calm as possible. Her caring and concern flowed out with each purring word she used to Jane. A pinch-full at a time, the clumps of hair came off leaving a stripe along Jane’s back. She sat perfectly still, not moving or jerking away at all. Amazing.
She’s embarrassed. I’m embarrassed. Guess I should have known it wasn’t natural. I don’t know about cats, I raised kids. Come to think of it, I used to buzz cut their hair.

Fires 'n Stuff

About ten minutes after I arrived home from Warrenton yesterday, my neighbor Darlene called. “Y’all burning leaves over there today?” “No, why?” (Silly me) “Well ya better look out your front door, your lots on fire.”

I did and it wasn’t quite my lot, but surely looked it from her viewpoint and it could be soon enough if I didn’t stop it from coming over here.

I turned off the stove where I was preparing dinner and het on out the back door. Spring is here but I haven’t hooked up garden hoses or anything yet. This was a good time to do it. While I was trying to untangle the extra hoses, the DISH people showed up to untangle our new receiver because the first one didn’t work. Carmen went into the house and her husband graciously helped me with the hose. That fire was HOT!

Neighbor Darlene called 911, I was trying to put the fire out closest to the house. (Brother is on full time oxygen) He doesn’t even know what is going on outside cause he’s fixing his TV programs.

With most of the fire out, Reggie and his partner of the North Carolina Forest Service showed up from south of Warrenton, near Louisburg! Cavalry to the rescue! Yea! Macon Rural Fire Company followed shortly afterward. Their big powerful hoses squelched the fire quickly, soaking the area so it wouldn’t start up again after they left. They also had control further down the lot where my hoses wouldn’t reach.

Whew! Nice guys. Modern day heroes.

Bride of the Wind

The “Bride of the Wind” is a movie of Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel (nee Schindler) that I enjoy watching over and again. Each time I see it, I see something I haven’t noticed before. To me, that’s a sign of a good movie.

Based on the true story set in Victorian Vienna of Alma, the inspiration of great artists of music, architecture, fine art and literature of her time before she became a famous composer. I first claimed the movie because it featured a favorite artist Gustav Klimpt. Then I became enraptured with her story.

Jonathan Pryce plays the role of her first husband, the famous Viennese composer Gustav Mahler. The ruggedly handsome Vincent Perez plays the role of Oskar Kokaschka, painter of “Bride of the Wind” with his usual intense presence. Seeing him in this movie lead me to buying the DVD “Swept from the Sea.”
This is a real peek into the privileged and artistic life at the turn of the century in Europe. It has beautiful views of the country and the old city.

Swept from the Sea

Last night I watched the haunting movie “Swept From the Sea” made from the 30-page story “Amy Foster” written by Polish-Ukrainian Joseph Conrad depicting life in the late 1800s. Yanko leaves his village in the Ukraine and takes a ship to America but the ship crashes on the rugged coast of Cornwall, England.

At first he is taken for a wild man when he is washed up from the sea, ragged, starving and not speaking a familiar language. The quiet, outcast Amy Foster brings him a hunk of bread and washes his face when the farmer locks him up. Her tenderness touches and calms him.

The story follows their progress, his in learning to speak English, hers in learning to trust and to love. The expressions Vincent Perez emotes shows the torment and frustration Conrad must have experienced when he went to England as a young man not knowing a word of English before he arrived.

The movie spotlights the sea as Conrad has written about it in his many novels and how he must have experienced it in his many sea journeys. Perez brings his own touch of the smoldering gruffness that he brought to his role of Oskar in “Bride of the Wind.”