Hard at Work

All week I’ve been working on a piece of the book about my mother Bert Bernice Bunnin and my relationship over the years.  I think I finished it yesterday.   It took me back many decades.  [that, of course, was her maiden name]  I know I’ve written a lot about her, both in Braided Lives and in many poems, but this was a more measured little essay. Still, it was emotionally draining. 

The last two storms we weathered well compared to how hard-hit mainland areas were.  And even Ptown had some flooding.  Now we’re expecting another starting during the night again and we know our luck can’t hold.  Woody and I both very nervous about it, and how many times can I fill every available vessel with water?

We did all the seed ordering this week – until the orders come and ifind out what’s missing.  Then I turn to what I consider the minor seeds catalogs to look for what’s unavailable in our orders so far. What I have to order now is sphagnum moss, which I use for seed starting.  That will begin on the third or fourth week of February. 

Tonight, the storm permitting, we drive to Harwich to have supper with friends.  Another couple, John and Bruce, will be there too –providing we can all get there.  In the last two storms, trees have fallen across the road by which we access anyplace else.  Woody managed to move one of them but needed to call the DPW for the other two. They came quickly and cleared the road. I remember years ago, coming back form Jose Gouveia’s memorial, we actually ran into a fallen tree on our road and had to have the truck fixed.

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Just after I wrote that last paragraph, the dinner was called off since the weather is so uncertain.  None of  us knew if we could get there.  Postponed to a different day.

I was so into writing about my mother in that remembrance that I didn’t write any poems till yesterday.  I wrote, rewrote, worked it over some more, etc.

Last night at 3 am, there was a bit of a standoff in my bed between Willow, who had been sleeping on me, and Schwartzie who climbed into bed and wanting attention.  I petted both, but Willow managed to outstay him and refused to get off me when he tried to evict her. This time, she stood  her ground and eventually he left and she and I could go back to sleep.  I paid him lots of attention this morning.  willow is a better bed companion.  She knows when I am open to petting her and when I want to go to sleep.  He doesn’t get that.

Asparagus season is starting.  I used to grow asparagus, but it takes a lot of room. But then, when I was younger, I grew many plants I can’t any longer, like my wonderful rose garden with over 40 kinds of roses.  We can’t water all that from our well with the hot dry summers we now experience.