Red Mill Beauty

Beauty at the Red Mill

A few days ago I had the priviledge of spending an entire day with my granddaughter, Morgan Halle O'Brien. She is a beautiful brown-eyed, red-haired 5-year old with great presence. She agreed to go with me on errands to Waupaca with gusto. I had no idea we were embarking on a very memorable day. She climbed into her booster seat in the van and instructed me on the mechanics of the seat belt and we were off.

After a couple of quick stops we ended up at the Goodwill store. She dug right into the wonders of second-hand stuff at a good price and had many suggestions with reasonable plans for their use. Very creative, but some had to be put aside for later! We decided on purchasing pink Crocs, blue canvas purse, and a pink, flowered dress for her and a book for me.

Then we agreed it was time for lunch. She settled on the nearby MacDonald's for a Happy Meal (but she ignored the toy, Joe!) She chose to sit at the highest table with feet dangling from the stool. Then a most heartwarming thing happened. As I was unwrapping food, I glanced up to see this tiny angel blessing herself with the sign of the cross and beginning the meal prayer. My heart skipped a beat as I struggled to get in step with her offering. This little child brought me back to a since-forgotten time in my life when this prayer would never have been overlooked; when had I sped on with trivia past this simple connection with God? A lady at a nearby table smiled gently and nodded in appreciation for the guidance Morgan's mother has given her.

It was time for the dessert treat I had promised her after lunch so it wouldn't melt. Another surprise for grandma-they did not have twist cones, so she opted to leave and hold out for a treat later at her first choice - DQ. Wow! I had to come through with that one! So we scuttled to the other side of town and 'viola' they produced a twist cone. We sat at a counter facing a huge aquarium. She licked the cone while telling me details about the four large 'plycostomus' clean-up fish suspended from the glass and identified the others swimming by.

I asked her if I could choose what to do next. She listened to my plan to visit the Red Mill in Little Hope where there were things to see along the Crystal River. I wanted to share with her a place I had cherished since my childhood. She patiently took a little nap as I blindly took rustic back roads and found my way to this special little place. As I parked, I noticed the remaining chocolate ice cream took up residence on her white blouse. When she woke up and requested help with the sticky ice cream, we decided this was the perfect time to wear the pink dress we just purchased. I was so pleased to see her bound out of the van and head down the worn concrete stairway toward the flowered paths.

We crossed the covered bridge and she scurried toward the Little Church. It was surrounded by chairs from a recent wedding, but the door was locked. I held her up to look in the windows at the altar, antique organ and 8 tiny pews. I told her I had played the music for a friend's wedding in there many years ago.

She pondered that for a moment and headed down another path toward the water. "Can we wade in the river if there are no turtles?" So she took my hand and we made our way down the bank onto the smooth stones beneath the clear, rushing water. Her laugh was as crystal at the water! After we explored the floors of the Red Mill building searching for the elusive, resident cat, we decided to head for home.

As she slept in the back seat, I sent heavenward a little prayer of my own with thanks for this day in which my granddaughter and I touched souls.

Mother's Gold Scissors

Do you believe that holding something that belonged to a loved one can bring about their strong spiritual presence?

My precious mother died October 20, 1966, but when I found her gold sewing scissors in a box at my dad's house the other day and put it in my hand I felt her there. She was next to me as surely as she was when I was 14 and learning to sew. The scissors is heavy and solid in my hand with steel blades riveted onto polished gold handles. It’s been almost 40 years since I’ve seen it, but it’s still sharp. Just like my memories of her.

“This is a very special and expensive scissors,” she said as we began to craft a turquoise dress together for the Waupaca County Fair. “It can only be used for cutting cloth. It will keep sharp that way…….And please, don’t drop it. The blades will stay tight together that way.”
It was a great privilege to be allowed to use Mother’s scissors. A kind of rite of passage. We spread the fabric out on our oak dining table and fixed the pattern pieces to it according to the directions. Not too close together, so I would have some room for error if I couldn’t negotiate the corners. Then I was given the scissors and the go ahead to begin cutting.

She smiled proudly and said, “Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. We all have to begin somewhere and you will learn every time you make something.”

The dress turned out just fine and I think I got a second place ribbon at the fair. I used that scissors for many years until I married in ’67 and left home. I always placed it reverently back into its place in the sewing machine cabinet and NEVER used it on anything but fabric. Now, today, I claim it as one of my fondest memories of time spent with my mother.

There were many “firsts” we undertook together and many I have undertaken since, many with glowing results – blue ribbon stuff. My two daughters and three sons are my pride and joy and a project their Grandmother would have loved to help me with. However, I approached that challenge alone with her words in mind. “Don’t be afraid. You have to begin somewhere. You will learn….”

A Parrot in the Parlor

We have inherited another gray pet. I say 'another' because we already have Charlie, the gray mini-poodle, who has been part of the household since he moved in with Bette when she came home from Florida several years ago. Cody, the gray Burmese mix domestic short hair cat, was adopted from Compassionate Companions when he won me over from his cage with his easy going ways.

My dad, Mike, is no longer able to care for his African Gray parrot, Skyler. Someone had to take her. So.....I thought, how hard could it be to take care of a bird. Clean up the cage, recycle the newspapers in the bottom, scrub out the feeding dishes, get some seed and enjoy the chatter.

Wrong.

She's much more complicated than your average aloof cat or doting dog. This animal has definite ideas about social issues. She and I got along pretty well the first week she moved in. Pat was gone on a trip to Florida, so it was up to me to settle her in. The original spot for the cage was quite aesthetic, I thought, centered in the living room by a big window. She wasn't happy until I moved her into the great room where she could see the kitchen and all the activity that goes with a living area.

Then there was the lesson about returning to captivity after a feather-flapping outing on top of the cage. We finally agreed on the key word 'IN' after about a week of 30 minute standoffs.

I was feeling good about our relationship and the other two pets got over their jealousy when the revolting development occurred. Pat came home. I wasn't sure he would take to the idea. That was not the problem. He liked her very much. The dynamic here became critical when, lo and behold, Skyler fell in love with my husband. (You can see where this is leading.) Pat let her out of the cage and fed her grapes and toast with jam. Cute, I thought. Nice. I just do sunflower seeds and some very expensive, vitamin-formulated, tasty fruit bits. Then I reached to refresh her water dish. She ruffled her feathers and dove at me, piercing my hand badly with her can-opener beak. A brief and angry battle ensued with me laying a tremendous guilt trip on her 'after all I've done for you' and how well she would blend in between two cornish hens after I fatten her up for Thanksgiving. Pat rescued us both and the lines were drawn.

So this is how it is. Skyler is happy in her new home now and we give each other space and share dominance. She goes in and out of her cage when I ask her and I wear safety glasses and body armor. She will tell me her preferred schedule if I don't head off to bed at 9:00. "Good night, Skyler," she says quite clearly. This battle of wills is destined to play out for some time. Parrots can live to 50 years of age.....if they behave.

My take on Winter 2008-9

I MUCH prefer this.........

......over this!

St. Patrick's Day

I had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. Wore all green, complete with shamrock earrings, to the office and played Celtic music from my computer all day. Pat is in Florida working and I didn't want to spend my evening with "checkered" digital TV, so I got 3 takeout corned beef dinners and went to Mark and Andrea's. Little T.J. ran to greet me and my heart almost burst with joy! Sage and Macy presented me with cards and kisses - who could want more?? Andrea is working on a float for Most Precious Blood School to enter in the New London St. Pat's parade. It's a schoolhouse, complete with a bell, and will carry students from the school. I can't wait to see it assembled and in the procession on Saturday.

Getting ready for Christmas

Christmas is sneaking up on me again! This year it will be a VERY white one. We have a foot of snow on the deck, speckled with tracks of hungry cardinals and squirrels under the feeders.

My "fake, but sufficient" tree is almost decorated. Lots of lights and sentimental ornaments from over the years. Mine is a "family" tree. I thought about one of those store window themes-you know, all silver or all burgundy and gold - but we have so much history in the box that we open once a year. And I have successfully re-wired my treetop angel with a new plug that matches the last ascending string of lights. (My last attempt resulted in a rather nasty short that almost scared me off my ladder and blew out all the lights in a smoky chain reaction.) Now I'm ready for the tree skirt, etc. Then I'll set up the nativity scene given to me by my sister, Tara. She made the pieces herself in a ceramics class. I treasure it and it will go on top of the piano (for safe-keeping???)

We're looking forward to having seven grandchildren present for Christmas Day. (And they are welcome to bring their parents, too!) Cody and Myles are both 6 now and go in and outdoors without assistance. Sage (4), Brooke (4), Morgan (4) and Macy (3) are into crafts and watching what's going on in the kitchen. Terry James (1) is right in there at the toy chest with the rest. He loves trucks and chasing the mini-poodle, Charlie. Cole and Cora will be in our hearts and on the webcam from Australia this year.

What a GREAT Thanksgiving we had together! All the kids were at our house and we took turns talking to Joe, Mary, Cole and Cora in Australia via the webcam on Skype. Cole told us some very interesting stories and Cora bounced about the room with blonde curls flowing! The little ones played well together and filled the house with energy and joy. My dad, Mike, joined us and Tara Lynne tended to his dinner and exchanged new with him most of the day. Scott played football with the boys and took some great pictures with my camera while I stirred the gravy or some such essential mealtime task. Shannon has taken up pie baking and brought two delicious apple pies to the feast. My dad gave them the seal of approval by asking for a second piece!