Dear Reader:

I sincerely hope that we all wake up to sun today…as the weathermen (women) have promised…and we can actually walk on the real sunny side of the street.

When Anne and I met at Oscars Wednesday for lunch…a fair portion of our conversation dealt with how our criteria in picking men have changed….when we were young….looks took center stage on our priority list…followed by nice and a good personality.

Now at the age we are…these priorities have changed…to Anne religion (being a Christian) plays a big part on her priority list… we both agree that looks have fallen to simply “okay looking”….but not necessarily drop dead gorgeous.

I told Anne that humor topped my list and she agreed it was high on hers too. I like to be surrounded by people who do ‘walk on the sunny side of the street’ …the “half glass full” people…who make me laugh!

So today (with hopefully the sun out to let us know it’s still alive and well) I think we should have some sunny stories…I found two in the Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul that made me smile and even chuckle.

The first story deals with chickens and roosters…thus the reason for the title picture. This is actually an ink print drawing (done on fabric) that the late/great local artist (“Sammy” Ravenel Gaillard) gave me many years ago when I worked some Saturdays each month in his art gallery.

Sammy was a very private person…but when you got him showing you pictures and photos from his past…it was quite a window into another world that most of us just dream about…a gilded age from another time.

…………………….

But now… back to a fun story on some fowls that made one gardener’s mood go “foul” and what she did about it.

“A Few Strings Attached”

Marcia E. Brown

This story is told by a granddaughter about an incident she remembered growing up… concerning her grandmother’s pride and joy in the form of a three acre flower garden in Oklahoma.

One day….her beautiful garden was attacked! A neighbor’s rare game hens escaped their pens and ran to the garden eating seeds, bedding plants, and small shrubs.

At first her grandmother tried to be diplomatic and explained the problem to the neighbor…but with no results…no fence or other precautionary measure was taken to contain the hens.

Finally….Grandmother’s patience had had it….and her temper caught up with her red hair. First she began scribbling notes on pieces of paper. Then she threaded kernels of corn on pieces of string. On each “corned” string she attached a note.

When the hens descended the next day they quickly gulped down the strings with corn and ran off clucking with a note dangling from their beaks. That was the last time we ever saw the hens in the flower beds or gardens again.

It was only later that the whole story emerged with an explanation about the messages on the notes. Grandmother explained:

“Now I wasn’t ugly…in fact, downright neighborly, I  invited my neighbor over for a few meals of chicken…one note might say “roasted chicken tonight with the date” the next… “barbecued chicken and the date” and/or “fried chicken and the date.”

With a twinkle in her eye…she said that her neighbor never took her up on any one of the invitations…imagine!

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“A Bedside Story”

Pat Stone

The second (and last) narrative deals with the power of the story and the gift of a storyteller… in any profession. The author recalls the history of her father, a very popular physician in town, and her memories of all the gifts he would receive each Christmas.

It would take him until late in the evening to finish opening up his presents from his patients…there would be lots of fruitcake, pies, and other sweets, but also $100 bills in pipes and baskets full of colored socks.

As a child the author realized, at some level, how well-liked her daddy was but she wasn’t quite sure exactly why….at least until the day she heard her daddy use his southern storyteller’s charm on his vegetable garden.

She was playing behind a honeysuckle vine when her father arrived at the garden with his basket. He didn’t see her and once his “conversation” with the vegetables began…she sat mesmerized… listening to his skills as a story teller.

“Good evening, Miz Lettuce. You’re looking mighty pretty tonight, young lady. What’s that? Wilted? Nah…you don’t look a day over thirty. In fact, I was hoping you might drop by for supper tonight.”

He then pulled a few lettuce leaves and put them in his basket while moving over to another section in which he straightened up some fallen vines.

“Hey there, old bean, old rascal! Been chasing after the marigolds again, I see. You’re going to have to start staying where you belong-you’re all the flowers talk about anymore you know. Now sit up straight and let me check you over. Hmmm, leaves normal. Flowers, um-hummm. Pods look good. You’re the picture of health, Chief. We just need to fix a few weeds around your roots.”

Moving on…she saw her daddy stop to address the tomatoes.

“Now don’t worry, Miz Tomato, I wouldn’t ignore you. After all you know you’re one of the gals on my short list. Yes, Ma’am you bet-right there at the top.”

When her daddy got to the corn stalks he pulled out a pocketknife and began cutting away at something.

“Calm down, Corn, old pal, you gotta expect a few ear problems as you get older. I promise it won’t hurt but a second. Now…for being so good you get a good, long drink of water; it’ll give you a sense of well-being.”

The little girl watched her daddy whistle happily as he walked away with his basket full of vegetables for supper.

Now she knew what the secret of her daddy’s popularity was: his bedside manner.

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So until tomorrow…let us never overlook the opportunity to tell a story… instead of facts.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

  * Please keep the Temple family in your thoughts and prayers…Mollie emailed me yesterday to tell me her Uncle Paul, her father’s brother, had a massive stroke (following a bout with cancer) and is now under hospice care for whatever time he has left.

Again…another type of waiting…which most of us can relate to…It’s difficult at best…but we know God is in control.

* I love Mollie’s “pass it on” during this troubling time…she told me to give someone else a hug today for Uncle Paul. So for Uncle Paul, Betsy, Linda and all who (family/friends) love them going through anxious times…a hug from me to you!

…And a special hug to Jackson…who has come down with the flu! Bummer! We love ya Jackson…fight, fight, fight!

* Linda Carson emailed me with this song  Always There by the Canadian Tenors that really touched her as she listened to the lyrics on her CD…and then yesterday’s daily devotional was titled “Always There“…a God’s Wink in the making for your test today Linda. You will not go it alone… that we do know!

This song is beautiful and the words so reassuring!

The Canadian Tenors, ALWAYS THERE – YouTube – YouTube

* To end on the sunny side of the street….look at what Lee (my nephew) is up to now….or perhaps what he isn’t up to? Go Lee Lee!

Lee Barbour does everything – Charleston City Paper