A Friend From the Garden of Life

Again I am using my favorite artist Mary Engelbreit to express my thoughts about my friend Bev. My garden of life contains many flowers I call friends and she is truly a kindred spirit.I facilitate the writing retreat with Bev. The two of us posed on our cabin steps before we left McCall. Bev is on the left, I am on the right. We met three years ago when I attended this retreat. We share a love of writing, family, gardening, camping, drama, good wine, good food, and good books. She has helped me grow as a writer. She listens to my words and gives me honest feedback. She has shared book titles, recipes, and stories from her home country of England. We have traveled the road to McCall and back three times and each time have deepened our friendship. Bev, as you head to England tomorrow have a safe journey. Enjoy your dear family and friends across the pond. Thanks for your friendship.

Sibling Assignment # 25: Lessons Learned from Camping

The sibling assignment this week is to write about a camping experience. You will find Raymond Pert's here and Silver Valley Girl's here.
Lesson #1: Above is Shelby when she was two and Annie when she was about five months old. We went camping at Evans Campground on Lake Roosevelt that spring break. The dogs had a fun day digging for gophers, chasing birds, and running to the water. Suddenly I saw Annie shaking her head quickly back and forth. As I got closer I realized she had a barbed fishhook in the lip attached to a line with leaded weights. JEJ knew if he tried to remove it the lip may fare worse. The vet was close so we gave her a call. She said keep Annie calm until morning them bring her in. We learned many lessons that day. Annie can be a trooper, can stay calm, and be very brave. Shelby could behave in an emergency and the two dog owners could also react in a calm way.

Lesson #2: When we were still tent camping we found a nice camp spot one morning off Coyote Creek Rd. What we discovered later in the day was the site was very hot with the afternoon sun beating on us. We didn't camp close to water so JEJ is hauling it above. We also ran out of ice.
He headed off to town for ice and left me with the three dogs we had then: Emily, Bluey, and Lucy. To pass the time I took them for a walk. Just as we rounded the corner by our camp we saw a brown bear. I froze. The bear froze. The dogs took over running full tilt after the bear. They treed the bear and barked and stood post under the tree until Everett returned. That day we learned to camp in shade and by water. Also, if you are going to leave a inexperienced camper like me there, tell her some tips for dealing with wild animals.

Lesson #3: Another time our niece the Princess was visiting so we decided to head up the lake to camp. We didn't want to go too far so pulled off a dirt road close to Kettle Falls. As we drove in I was a bit hesitant about whether it was okay to stay overnight here. JEJ convinced me it was fine. We pulled in and noticed the site had been the location for a teen party by the remains we found.

After dinner we were enjoying the sunset above when a SUV roared down the road. It startled us and we came around to see the sheriff. We wondered if there had been an emergency.

" Did you see the sign that said NO CAMPING?" he asked.

The Princess and I looked at each other and shook our heads no. He turned around to see the sign was down," Those darn kids. They love to party here and knock the sign down. I was just checking to see if a party was starting,"

We looked a bit too innocent for the first arrivals at a party.

" Could we stay until morning,"JEJ asked," we have our stuff set up and the awning is out? "

" I guess so. Just be out in the morning." he roared back out throwing dust in our faces.

" It is always so fun to come and visit you . Something exciting always happens," the Princess said laughing, " I think we are criminals now."

" How do you think we would look in striped jail clothes?" JEJ joked.

We walked back up the road and studied the sign the sheriff put back up.

NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING ALLOWED.

I learned that day to trust my intuition. I also learned that the sheriff can be understanding. I also know how it feels to be a criminal!

Sunday Scribblings: I've Got a Secret

The Sunday Scribbling topic this week is I’ve Got a Secret.

Here are a few of my secrets:

I am enthralled with stories about people getting rescued off a mountain or out of a raging river. I don’t like reality television shows.

I grab any book by Anna Quindlen, Anne Lamott, or Elizabeth Berg. I have never read much by Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, or Twain.
I can grow roses, peonies, and clematis in my garden. I have never been successful with delphiniums, astible, or butterfly bushes.

I enjoy brewing a cup of Lipton’s tea and adding some milk. I have to choke down chamomile and green tea. In the city I spend hours in bookstores, second hand stores, and plant nurseries. I never shop at Nordstrom’s, Ann Taylor, or Victoria’s Secret.

I grew up in a town with a ski resort that went from Jackass Ski Bowl to Silverhorn to Silver Mountain. I have never snow skied in my life.

I am challenged by word puzzles, constructing an essay, and word choice in poetry. I can’t comprehend algebra, physics, or probability. I look forward to preserving pickles, jams, and applesauce every year. I can’t make a flaky pie crust, homemade bread, or any confection requiring a candy thermometer.

When I shop for clothes my first requirement is comfort. I no longer wear high heels, scratchy fabric, or fancy dancy sleepwear.

As I have moved through life I have acquired a wide group of friends. There are the childhood friends, the neighbors from another town, college friends, co-workers, my new blog friends, and friends that have been with me through the best and worst of times.
My last secret... I would love to have a friends week-end and gather all these women in one place. I think everyone would get along beautifully!
To find other Sunday Scribblings posts go here.

There is No Place Like Home!

It was good to arrive home today. McDuff said hello at the front walk. Isabelle waited on the makeshift wheelbarrow to greet me. Lily came from out in the field when she heard my voice. She rested on the stump while I called her.
The roses have bloomed profusely since I have been gone. This is the All-American Girl.

I love the sound of the fountain spilling into the pond in the back garden.The larkspur and dill reseeded from last year in the cutting garden.I love the combination of the purple blooms and the green dill heads. There is no place like home!

Postcards from McCall: See You Next Year!

The reading/writing retreat came to a close today. People lingered not wanting it to end. Conversations continued after lunch as people loaded up their stuff. The phrase I heard over and over that warmed my heart was, " See you next year!" This week people took risks with their writing. We formed a trusting community and cried over stories of struggle and loss. Some holed up in cabins and were very productive with academic projects. Others enjoyed the hiking trails, the hot sun yesterday, bike trails, writing workshop, an espresso from town, and s'mores at the final campfire.

I have much to look forward to tomorrow. A scenic drive, good coffee at Starbucks, a quick trip to the bookstore, and a country road with JEJ, two dogs, six cats, two rabbits, and summer gardens waiting for my return.

Summer Solstice, My First Reading, and a Completed Poem

Tonight we celebrated the longest day of the year with a reading, a steak dinner, great dogs, sharing of writing, and a campfire. I did my first memoir reading with my friend Bev (below) before dinner. We each picked favorite pieces and read on benches before dinner in the pine trees.

The highlight of a delicious steak dinner tonight was watching the two " resident" dogs be so well-behaved as they sat by their masters during meal time..

Later we all gathered in the yurt and shared writing written during the day. My goal was to complete some poetry since that isn't a genre I feel as comfortable writing. I shared the poem below. We then moved to the campfire to round out our last evening with s'mores, conversation, and laughter.

The writing prompt we worked on in the workshop this morning was called "baggage". It centered around those things we hang on to and keep in our lives. After hearing other people's brainstorm lists I combined them into this poem:

Digging For Keys
Faded cottage cheese tubs stuffed with rusty nails,
hooks on the wall overflowing with coats;
a ripped poncho, a manure covered barn coat, a too-small ski parka.
Hanging close are the hats;
hunting orange, hand-me-down tan, John Deere green,
The stained lavender lamp shade lingers in the corner.

Resting on the steps, plastic plant pots, trays, and saucers to catch the drips;
a leaky watering can, one silver slipper, a dead lily discarded after Easter.
nozzles, washers, sprinklers for hoses;
five Mason jars, three canning rings, a crock pot without a lid.

The drawer holds keys to doors that never open, cords to gadgets long thrown away;
Fasteners with a purpose fading from memory and doodads once with a use,
two knights from a chess set, wooden Scrabble tile, one toothpick,
pastel birthday candles, an outdated candy thermometer
resting before the next celebration.

Things of life are saved, arranged, hung, and displayed.
They join soft levis molded to our shape;
colored Avon bottles Aunt Pearl wrote into her will;
birdfeeder presented as a wedding gift;
leaning mailbox with the chipped red flag.

Things remind us of everyday life;
nails to repair the fence, crock pot Sunday soup,
batch of applesauce put up last fall, a marathon Scrabble game.
Digging for keys that frosty, winter night
Doors and windows were locked up tight.