This is the table beside my back door. My husband and I walk by it multiple times a day, but we leave it untouched. There’ve been a number of wild summer storms recently, including one which sent a huge section of tree falling across the street just as I was sitting at my desk looking out. This, however, is not from that. It’s not nature’s work at all except in the most basic sense. This is a collection, a very deliberate assembly of the best sticks available. Note the one shaped like a scythe…
I had the pleasure of raising two sons so I know what I’m looking at when my younger grandson gathers his best choices and lays them out on my table, explaining as he goes, what makes each one so special. They may all be named Sticky (okay, the part about all of them having the same name I can’t claim to understand), but they need to be here the next time he comes over. (Older brother has already stashed his “short sword” styled stick on a shelf in our garage, out of sight of any thieves or meddling adults.)
Meanwhile, the wonderful little neighbor girl is in her backyard playing in her lilac colored princess dress, one which she wears often, and I think, “what parallel universe is playing out over in that yard?” I grew up with uncles and brothers before having sons and I swear, I have never in my life come anywhere near a princess dress. It looks like quite the adventure, one I wish I had experienced!
If our family happens to collide with that universe in the future, we will welcome the change with joy, but in the meantime, the sticks will be there when the boys return.
News in the publishing world is that my books for Sunbury are going to be recorded on audio and should be available in that format before long. I can’t begin to imagine what listening to them will be like! And, the latest in the series about photographer Audrey Markum will be heading to the publisher soon!