Stories, Excerpts, Backroads
Wind and rain signalling winter is officially over and spring is here. I feel colder in this weather than I do when it is minus thirty.
It will green things up. Some of the kids at work are wearing shorts while I still have on my long underwear.
Lisa asked today, do I wish we prayed. It is a good question.
A wonderful weekend. Cooper stayed over night at our place and Scarlett had her Home Tournament.
It is Scarlett’s first year playing hockey. She skates on one foot just like her brother did. She holds her stick with only one hand also. That makes being strong with the puck difficult. When on the ice during the game she tries to make friends with the other team, especially the girls. She also enjoys waving to her friends behind the glass in the stands. She follows the puck instead of going where the puck will go.
Scarlett had fun and was a favourite player of the fans. Lisa and I were very proud. To top it off she was awarded The Most Sportsmanlike Player on her team.
She was very happy.
Lisa and I chased the moon this morning. Anticipating angles where it would set over Nelson. Willow seemed happiest. We didn’t quite get it perfect in the picture. Good enough.
We watched Cooper play a hockey game. He tried hard and got two goals. We were very proud. He was very happy.
***
The days are longer. The birds are reappearing. The sun felt good straight on the face today. Kelsie said, Something stinks, is that Dad? I always deny it.
***
It won’t be long and the garden will need turning over.
Watched the moon, still a crescent, go down with Jupiter. At one time, and for most of human history, the position of the stars and phase of the moon was of great importance, allowing us to plant and find our way.
It took a lot of common knowledge to get this far. Now humankind seems to care more about how we differ.
What was once a commonality, something to steer the ship, has been washed out and polluted with our own false sense of superiority.
***
When our girls were growing up, Lisa and I emphasized that they had to keep themselves safe. We told them everything from, don’t leave your drink, to stay with groups, and always trust your gut, among other things.
We tried to do it without scaring them. But the truth is the world is a tough place, especially for women.
***
I worked with a man who hated women. Every relationship he was in ended badly. He married and had kids and physically and emotionally abused them. He could be cheerful, even charming, but it would never last. He would be put off with a perceived slight or someone unresponsive to his advances.
Our girls were teenagers at the time. I remember thinking, this man was a predator looking for an opportunity. He may never have an opportunity and always stay on the side of the law, content on making the lives of the people closest to him hell, but given the opportunity he could wreak havoc on anyone unsuspecting.
He had a big influence on what we tried to impart on our two young daughters and keeping themselves safe.
***
The world is small that way. The dangers and beauty are always both right there.
Extra grey today. Woke up to fog. Our Grandkids stayed with us last night so everything seemed bright.
Later we walked in the bush looking for birds. They could be heard everywhere, Seeing them was harder. Lisa can tell how far away they are by their song, I don’t know how she does it, but she is right almost always. My ear just hears them, I can’t tell distance.
Lisa said I taught her how to see animals in the bush, you look for shapes and lines that don’t fit. I learned to do it hunting with my father. My eyes are starting to go, fortunately I can still see lines that bend amongst the trees.
I dreamt I was at the old house the other day. My father said, go in and turn the outside light on. The switch was in a hallway my mother made into a darkroom. As soon as I walked in I smelled the photographic chemicals. They had been left out in the trays. Dektol, stop, fix and hypo. They smelled like they needed to be changed. You can get some interesting results from old chemicals, my mother used to say.
When I told Lisa about my dream she was surprised I could smell in my dreams. She said I must be thinking of my Mom. I think about her often, especially as I get to the age my parents were when I knew them them best.
Now Lisa and I walk and drive some of the trails looking for birds, just like my parents did. The truth is birdwatching can really sneak up on you.
Grey days, typical for April. Lisa and I wondered the creek both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. It was good to be out.
We don’t get as much done on the weekend as we used to, but I like to think we take care of the important stuff.
The kids came over yesterday. Scarlett hasn’t been feeling well. It was good to see she was feeling better. She and Cooper helped me take the seedlings from their starter trays and put them in individual pots. Not my favourite part of gardening. I only start plants I can’t get at the nursery. It is a necessary annoyance. Keeping plants alive until they are ready to be planted in the garden is a chore. I am depended on for water, heat and the right light. The plants should realize like everyone else in my life, I just ain’t that dependable!
Haven’t found any wood ticks yet. The garden is waiting to be turned over. The ice is off the small part of the lake. Sap is in the spruce needles and smell good when squeezed between your fingers.
Lisa and I had an argument coming out of the mountains.
Lisa said, You saw a chickadee in the trees beside the creek, coming up, maybe it will be there again.
I said, No it was a chicken.
Lisa said, You said chickadee.
I said, I know what I saw. It was a chicken, a grouse to be exact.
Lisa said, You said chickadee. I was looking for a chickadee.
I answered adamant, No I didn’t. Why would I even point out a chickadee?
Lisa said, Well that’s what you said… maybe you’re starting to stutter.
It is impossible to win an argument with Lisa.
Very fine weekend.
The birds have been active as of late. Plenty of chirping and fluttering in the trees. Some even allow me to see them. A wonderful weekend treat. The melt continues.
Our house also has been active. Lisa and I are looking after our Grandkids, Cooper and Scarlett, while their parents are on a short vacation. It has been very nice for us. They certainly keep us on our toes. It makes me wonder how we raised three children while running a very busy business. We both agree we couldn’t do it now.
We had our daughter Kelsie when we were young, especially for today’s standards. In doing so we are young grandparents. Thank goodness!
I took Cooper to his hockey practice on Friday. It was good to be in the rink again. Cooper scored three goals in the scrimmage. One was a highlight reel goal scored while laying on his back, sweeping it in with his stick. It really was something! His coaches came over and congratulated him on such an effort. After, I told Cooper he did so well because I laced his skates. He just laughed and said, “No. Papa”.
Scarlett is difficult to take a photograph of. She is moving and TALKING all of the time. She can climb hills as fast as her brother and seems to have a competitive streak, something she has inherited from her Mother and Grandma.
It is a wonderful gift to watch them grow, laugh and even struggle. To be a part of their lives, to have them feel comfortable with us is incredible. Lisa and I can’t imagine it any other way.
Late in the afternoon a bird sang. I couldn’t make out the birdsong, but all types of birds, Chickadees, Sparrows and even crows seemed to be stirred.
It seems I don’t have the time I used to. It’s morning, then afternoon and I still don’t have much done then it’s supper and evening with not much crossed off the list.
That’s getting old I guess.
Daylight is extended. February is when you notice it. The snow softened enough today that made me think I could walk in it. Before long I was stuck going up. Willow wasn’t much better. We got to laugh at each other. The snow melted in my boots but somehow I stayed warm.
Very fine day.
On December 5th the clouds cleared. Lisa and I had our grandchildren, Scarlett and Cooper, over for supper. While we got a fire going, picking kindling and blocks of timber I pointed out Venus, Saturn and Jupiter in the brilliant sky.
Venus, the brightest, was about to go down, Saturn was hard to see in the twilight and Jupiter, the highest, ruled by its position high in the sky.
The next day we awoke to snow. The clouds took over the sky. Luckily, before the end of the day they lifted. Cooper and I were shovelling snow. I pointed out a young moon in the still daylight. Cooper acknowledged it said, “There’s Venus above.”
I had to squint to see it. Cooper has good young eyes. It made me proud he knew the name of that point of light.
Being a grandfather is nice. When I was a parent I tried my best but did a lot of things wrong. I worried all the time for one. Worked too long and thought being a good father was holding the line.
Now, I don’t worry. Kelsie and Tom are wonderful parents. I’m a kid again, but with the knowledge and eccentricities of an old man. I get to teach Cooper and Scarlett about the garden, the stars in the sky and what firewood burns best for Grandma. If that ain’t blessed I don’t know what is.
Pure skies. Lisa, Cooper, Scarlett, and I looked outside before bed. We were getting a few fresh breathes. The conversation switched to stars. Seriously. We started talking planets and constellations. Was Cassiopeia a W or an upside down M? Where was Neptune? I couldn’t point to a direction. If it won’t show it’s face I won’t give it the time of day. . . or night. Screw you Neptune! The Cassiopeia WM, on the other hand is a quandary of significant importance. Scarlett can print MOM in big bold letters. I turn the paper over, making it look like a mistake, saying, it says WOW! So when she sees the letters in the stars she knows what they have in common.
While we looked a bright meteor streaked down the side of Perseus. We all saw it. What are the chances? Lisa said, make a wish. The next day Scarlett admitted she didn’t make a wish. I confessed neither had I, why be greedy.
Palliser Pass 