Bells, Four-Wheelers and Dreams

“I’ll be there with bells on,” Helen told me a few days ago, speaking about our upcoming Cozy Critique. Sure enough, she came in the door yesterday shaking a sack full of jingle bells. She was here with bells on!

Let no one assume that just because we are crowned with silver, we are content to rock in our old rocking chairs. Carolyn came to the critique limping and moving kind of slow.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I fell,” she said. “I was trying to get a branch of dogwood blooms and…bam!”

I wasn’t sure whether it was her side, her leg, or her arm. I think it was probably all three. Then, the truth came out. She had been riding her four-wheeler and it turned over with her. This is the talented writer of children’s books who, as I am, is a retired kindergarten teacher. No novice to heart-stopping experiences, she once had a close encounter with an irate cow and climbed a round hay bale to keep from becoming a victim.

Carolyn read a poem she had written, “Daddy’s Coveralls”, a vivid description of coveralls that had belonged to her dad and which she now wears. Old and tattered, they are still dear to Carolyn and she can’t bear to give them up.

Jane and Carolyn are both working on illustrations to go with the two children’s books they have written.

In addition to the jingle bells, Helen brought two inspirational pieces, “Yucky-Poo” and “To Strive For.” A prolific writer with many publishing successes, Helen read an amusing story with a good moral that she plans to send Chicken Soup for the Soul. “A Mystery-Solving Mother” is sure to delight the reader. It is based upon the inscrutable workings of a child’s thoughts and how a puzzling situation turned out to have a surprising answer.

Jane keeps writing materials close at hand when she goes to bed each night. It’s a good thing she does because she has the most interesting dreams! And, soon as she wakes up, she writes them. She shared with us, “Tiger Dreams”. Pursued by a tiger, she was desperate to escape this dreadful beast. When at last the tiger caught up with her, she patted its head and it purred! An interesting dream but a thoughtful message: time spent in worry is usually wasted.

“Trust God to change the tiger or the feared thing in your life into a docile house cat,” Jane told us. “Have courage and faith in God.”

She also read poems she had written about two outstanding and dedicated people in her church. Then she shared the poem she wrote about Nine-One-One which she titled, “A Day to Remember.”

I asked her to read her poem that is my favorite, “Mama’s Clothesline.” I’ve heard it before but I never tire of the imagery and memories that poem evokes.

This last poem inspired us all to remember hanging clothes on the line before the day of electric or gas dryers. We remembered getting them off the line when winter’s temperatures froze them stiff. And, that brought up thoughts of the old pants stretchers and curtain stretchers which took the place of ironing.

Reading to them the third beginning to Fright of the Silvery Moon, I listened for the insightful ideas and suggestions which I knew were forthcoming. Sure enough, they had some wonderful thoughts which can’t do anything but improve this work in progress. I also shared with them my idea of one or two additions to my writing repertoire to guide potential readers to the exploits of Darcy, Flora, and Ned.

The Cozy Critters warmed and brightened a cloudy, cold, dampish sort of April day. I can hardly wait ’til next time when they’ll be here with bells on. They are an adventuresome group but I hope those tumbles down Arkansas hills are a thing of the past!