My Friend_ Candy’s_ Fire_ Pit. Part Two

My friend Candy sent over this picture of what she calls her fire pit crew. In the cool 60ish degree weather here an evening sitting by the fire is wonderful!

Intrigued at this woman’s creativity, I headed over to her house and found that she had been busy putting in a brick walk way and flower mound around the fire pit. The bricks were of all shapes and sizes and they had words on them. They are beautiful and I was envious.

I asked: “Where did you get these from?”

I wasn’t really surprised when she said she had rescued them from a dark alley. She continued by saying she “was sure that if she hadn’t come by, with her car, they would have died a slow harsh death.”

A Dusty_ Road_ Home, Part Two

Pete had left home early that morning. He wasn’t the smartest man in this region of farms but he was a self-sufficient and helpful person. Most people didn’t mind having him around and he was actually quite helpful to the farmers doing odd jobs and helping them harvest their crops. In between seasons he visited the widows, pulling weeds from their gardens and eating at their tables. They were always glad for his help and his company. At least this is what they always said in their church charity meetings.

Today as he arrived at Addie’s back door, Pete gave his usual one worded greeting, “ Hellooooo.” Addie appeared quickly. Her faded pink dress tight across her amble bosom. The weather wasn’t very warm. Yet the front of her dress was unbuttoned, her deep cleavage pink and inviting. Pete felt the back of his neck turn red.

“I‘m about as red-necked as they come.” He thought. He tried to keep his thoughts clean and pure like the Preacher-Man said he should. But Addie’s throaty, “Hello there. You come right inside with me, now ya hear?” Was more than Pete’s pure clean thoughts could bear. He followed Addie inside and when she took his hand and led him toward her bedroom. He followed like a thirsty horse being lead to water.

Their love-making caused the afternoon to pass quickly and when the darkening shadows of the evening passed across Addie’s window Pete thought again of the garden that needed weeding and the cornbread that needed eating. He thought he would start with the cornbread.

“Oh my, will you look at the time.” Addie chimed. “Pastor Taylor and his wife will be here in an hour for dinner. You best be getting cleaned up and out of here. The bathroom is on your left.”

Wordlessly and weak, Peter staggered to the bathroom and showered. Emerging he saw that Addie had brushed his clothes and set a new pair of socks out for him. He smiled at her thoughtfulness and hurried to the kitchen. Reaching for the cornbread he felt the sting of her hand striking against his.

“Oh no, you don’t!” Addie said smacking his hand again and snatching the plate of cornbread from him. “This here is for the Preacher and his wife. You take that mess of beets I picked and get yourself on down the road. And here’s a five spot for your walk. You come back here next week, and I’ll make you cornbread then.”

Peter, a man of few words, snorted his displeasure at the thought of the Preacher Man and his wife eating his cornbread and driving their air-conditioned car up to Addie’s to do so. But he obediently took the beets, the 5 spot and walked back down the dusty dirt road toward home, not pausing to wipe the dust from his eyes as he kicked his way home.

Other pictures can be found on:

http://cmewander.blogspot.com/2011/05/sharks-teeth-blueberries-car-jumping.html

A Dusty Road Home

Today I post an East Coast Connection.

I created the following award winning short story with thoughts about the long dusty roads that I walked as a child. This is a fictional story.

“A Long Dusty Road"

Shuffling along on the dirt road, Peter kicked the dry dust and was immediately sorry he had.

The dirt flew into his face, up his nose, into his mouth and made his eyes water. It also stung his parched throat.

“Why did I do that?” Peter questioned himself. “It’s hot and this in one long road. Besides, I already have a hole in my shoe and now I have dirt in my eyes.”

Limping to the side of road, Peter eased himself onto a tree stump. He removed his holey shoe, dumped out four or five pebbles that had gathered inside, and then gently wiped his throbbing foot.

With the back of his hand he rubbed his forehead and looked up and down the long empty road. No person or house in sight. Listening, Peter knew he was alone. All alone. There wasn’t even a sound of an approaching car. He did hear crickets chirping and mosquitoes buzzing. “There is always the buzzing of pesky mosquitoes. Peter thought. “Why did God create such creatures?” He batted uselessly in the direction of their sound.

“The Preacher Man said it was to try and test the patience of man. But the Preacher Man drives around in a nice new air-conditioned car.” Laughing to himself Peter thought. “And all I’s got is holey shoes! Mmmm, I wondered if that shining new car that the Preacher Man drives is holy too?” Peter smiled at the pun he had created.

Picking fragrant green leaves off the branch of the nearby Oak tree, Peter rubbed them against his palm, softening them. He inserted three or four into his shoe. A quick push and a twist and his foot sat snug inside his shoe. He wore no socks. He didn’t own any work socks. He did have one black pair that he had repaired over and over, thanks to his training in the Army. “He did know how to darn his socks…or was it that he owned one darned pair of socks.” Peter smiled to himself again, “There might not be a lot of people to talk to in this rural area of the world but I don’t mind my own company.” He thought.

“I best be going,” Peter’s thoughts continued. “Addie don’t know I’m coming to weed her garden and I don’t want to be late for a bite of her cornbread.” Pete lifted his head and sniffed the air. As he walked along the dusty road, even though he had three miles left to go, he could already smell the cornbread she was baking. He hastened his steps.

Pete had left home early that morning. He wasn’t the smartest man in this region of farms but he was a self-sufficient and helpful person. Most people didn’t mind having him around and he was actually quite helpful to the farmers doing odd jobs and helping them harvest their crops. In between seasons he visited the widows, pulling weeds from their gardens and eating at their tables. They were always glad for his help and his company. At least this is what they always said in their church charity meetings.

Due to space considerations: Part Two will be posted tomorrow.

I found the picture use today for "A Dusty Road Home."It was taken by Christy Warnick. She found the picture in Florida, but it is like a hundred other dusty dirt roads that exist in the South and it does represent the memory I created this story around. Here is the link to her blogspot. http://cmewander.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

Due to space considerations: Part Two will be posted tomorrow

Neighbors Accept Arms Full of Irises

This weekend I had an amazing experience. In the sunshine, hundreds of my irises had bloomed. Especially the ones I call Ryan and Kerrie. They were so tall they fell over into the yard, looking like bowing courtiers.

I took my kitchen scissors and cut them down. I was kind. I left the stems long. But now I had dozens and dozens of cut Irises and I didn’t have enough vases to put them in. So I gathered up arms full and walked down my street asking my neighbors if I could share my flowers with them.

Do you know that I met people I didn’t even know lived on my street? My husband and I were among the first people to move onto this street, years ago. And now houses have been sold and new people have moved in and in this hectic world, I didn’t even know.

I learned that one neighbor was having surgery, another had an adult son move back into his home and a third had moved here a year ago from California and she couldn’t find the sprinkler valve for her back yard. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about where the sprinkler valve is located. But I do see the people who lived in the house previously on occasion and I’ll let them know the next time I see them, that Carol is looking for the backyard sprinkler valve

Going home to gather more flowers, I discovered I had given out all the flowers that had bloomed. But with the blossoms still forming, I think there will be enough to share next weekend. I’m looking forward to that.

Helping at Iron Man 2011_Running_Congratulations

Early Saturday morning, I headed downtown. I had made the commitment to volunteer in the registration tent for the CDA Ironman triathlon. The sun shone brightly as if doing its best to fulfill the Irish blessing of:

“ May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,”

Athletes were riding their bikes, running or swimming in Lake Coeur d’ Alene. I entered the largest tent in Sherman Park, It stood as evidence of the hours of preparation by volunteers and workers. I had been downtown earlier in the week and thought that things were well organized, but now specially marked cars were on display, tents had been added, and hundreds of volunteers were quietly going about doing their duties, putting up barriers, laying out bags for the participants or giving directions.

I entered the tent where the athletes could register for next years’ event. Lap top computers were being set up. So many volunteers had showed up that we were asked to double up. One person was to enter information and the other person watched to make sure the numbers and names were entered correctly.

I was able to work with a computer. A lovely young lady from the Ironman Headquarters, named Kristen Stantz just started helping me.

I didn’t know when we started talking that she was with the organization and had probably helped train hundreds of volunteers. She was very personable and just started helping me. She had come dressed for warm weather but because it was cool that morning she was bundled in a blanket and a cap. While the warm weather did show up later in the day, in the early hours of the morning the wind was nippy. I wished I had brought my blanket!

As we talked, I asked her what she liked the most about her job and she said, “ “I love the travel; I get to go to places I never thought to travel to…like Coeur d’ Alene.” I asked her what she thought of the town and she replied. “I love it! I would definitely bring my family back here!” I liked hearing this, as I also love our town.

As a non- athlete, I didn’t realize that the Iron man organization, http://ironman.com is a Florida-based company. Recognized for athletic excellence, performance and quality products, they are supported by partners that include Ford Motor Company, Dell, Timex and Gatorade. Ironman is the No.1 user-based sports brand in the world. Andrew Messick is their Chief Executive Officer. The organization began in 1978 and is regarded as the world's most challenging endurance event.

Congratulations to the 2011 Ford Ironman winner’s:

Men’s Division: Craig Alexander from Australia, with Maik Twelsiek and Tom Evans placing 1^st and 2^nd respectively and to Julie Diben from Great Britain, with Caitlin Snow and Haley Cooper-Scott placing 1^st and 2^nd in the Women’s Division. http://ironman.com/events/ironman/coeurdalene/shawn-skene-recaps-the-record-breaking-day-in-idaho-at-ford-ironman-coeur-dalene#ixzz1QTKhGuhe