Small Things
Posted By Heather on October 10, 2009
There are small things of incredible importance. Small things make up the essential truths of identity and character.
In a very brief trip to Coos Bay, for my Dad’s 70th birthday a few short hours were full of these small things.
” …and these things we grew or caught and were living just a few a hours ago.” Although it is never said as a formal blessing, this thing is said often at the table of my family. Here is brunch with chinook caught by my Uncle Terry, tomatoes from the garden, corn from the garden, cucumbers from the garden, a tablecloth and napkins made by my mother. It’s a table full of commitment to the food we eat.
In a short wander out to the front yard, I’m greeted by a hundreds of dahlias. My favorites have all the colors of the sunset. Dahlia’s were given to my parents when they married. They were tossed “over the bank” but sprang up anyway. They were divided and grown. As girls, we entered them at the fair, even though we were not their real caretakers, their care takers were Mom & Dad. And when Mom & Dad moved to their dream house, it just so happened the owners were collectors of dahlias and they have hundreds of dahlias filling the yard from late summer deep into the fall.
And this white rail fence stands for order. My father devotes much time to his fence. He scrubs and cleans and paints the fence regularly. From up and down the valley the curve of this fence is clear and well known. It marks the home they always longed for, and are pleased to have as their own.
And the Coos Bay King Apple that has provided quarts and quarts applesauce. This apple that has provided the pectin to make the blackberry, and raspberry, and strawberry, and marmelade jams of my mother. This tree that likely has been there for nearly 100 years has fed many people. It’s old and near it’s end and is perhaps the most graceful tree we will know. It’s suffered much in the last couple of years and it’s lost many boughs and branches. The dropped apples are tossed down to the horses. Even my little neice Lauryn knows that the apples on the ground are tossed to the horses, or are for the deer. These apples have fed many many mouths.
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