My task which I am trying to achieve
is, by the power of the written word,
to make you hear; to make you
feel-it is,
before all, to make you see.
That, and no more and it is
everything.
Joseph Conrad
I am sitting
here looking through photos on my computer trying to write a post for Wednesday
and every once in awhile I turn my head to watch those Turkeys strut about the
field without a care in the world. They wandered up to fence yesterday morning and
had the nerve to sit and watch My Hero and me sitting enjoying our breakfast at
the window just out of reach of my camera lens. There are three Toms and six
hens and they call this home and I am sure they are to live here for a very
long time. They will never get an eviction notice from me.
I am also
looking at photos of my Mom holding a baby duck in her hands that my niece and
her beautiful daughters brought along with a fluffy little bunny named Cutie.
My Mom is smiling and laughing and talking to the duck and the bunny with
soothing words. We are all standing in Mom’s kitchen gathered in a big family
circle while this is going on all of us smiling and completely engrossed in Mom’s
happiness. This brings so many memories back for Pearly and I as we watch her daughter
and grandchildren share this moment.
Pearly’s daughter is such a generous soul
and knew her Nanny would love to see the animals from her farm. Four
generations of happiness sharing love and happiness. What could be better than
that? Oh this was such a glorious moment and I am sure this memory will never
leave any of our minds. I am so blessed to have so many good memories erasing
any bad that may have come into this life of mine.
The tears
roll down my cheek with happiness but also a sadness knowing there are a lot of people
who have memories that are not as pleasant and stick like glue (another Grandma
saying) and they need to get them out to move on and continue on with those
happy memories, those ones they sometimes struggle to pull out. Sometimes they put on
their best front but lurking behind that smile or laughter is that incident
that changed their life forever always churning just below the surface. They do
not think they should share it because it may be too painful and others may not
understand even though you know you have knowledge of survival that may help
them someday. Reliving this through their writings can be extremely painful,
this horror you tried to forget, yet something you must do to escape its grip.
I am
talking about our Feral Woman and her Foresterman's story of survival and the cool
head thinking in a situation most of us have never had to face nor want to.
Their recounting the stories of sitting in the middle of a firestorm in Montana
and watching life as they knew it disappear is riveting and needs to be shared.
This is our factual account of what happened here
on the night of July 3, and early morning of July 4, 2012,
concerning the Taylor Creek Fire,
which burned over 65,000 acres;
this was later added to the Ash Creek Fire Complex,
for a total of over 300,000 acres burned total in our area.
Yes I have tears in my eyes looking at photos
of my Mom smiling and living her life making beautiful memories for me and my
family knowing that I am truly blessed while others are going through or have
gone through things that will never be forgotten but are taking the time to
share it with others so we can all learn and be grateful for what we have.
Thank
you Feral Woman and Mr. Foresterman I appreciate every segment. Your strength
and courage to share this and to help others understand is to be commended. I
am so very proud to call you my friends.
If you want to read the story that I am
talking about, something that makes me rush to my computer first thing every
morning even though I know the ending and most times it makes me cry while I sit
here in my lovely kitchen looking out at those taunting turkeys, and those photos
of my Mom’s smiling face while thinking about how truly blessed I am……… go
check this out.
Be happy my
friends.
Later
Your post struck a particular chord with me today my friend.
ReplyDeleteI have found that airing the past puts it to bed so that we can all move on.
Love the images of your mom's hands and the babies. So sweet. xo
It's so sweet that your niece brought these gentle little animals for your mom to enjoy. It's also wonderful,that you're able to enjoy these moments in time - making fond memories. I'm going to check out the feral woman's story - you've got me intrigued!
ReplyDeleteThat is so beautiful Buttons and thank you so much for sharing. xx
ReplyDeleteCute duckie.
ReplyDeleteOh those turkeys! So sneaky!
I didn't realize it had been a full year since the fire.
This truly touched my heart. I loved your words and pictures- so very poignant.
ReplyDeleteI am off to read Feral Woman's account.
Sweet memories! I've been reading the accounts of the fire, too, and it sure makes us count our blessings!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts today. It made my mind and heart go out to friends who have suffered in ways I've been fortunate to escape. Thanks for sharing the link too. I will check that out today.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post Buttons!
ReplyDeleteBad memories make us stronger, happy memories keep us healthy (I think)! Love your pictures, and thank you for reminding to count my blessings this morning! (and thanks for your nice comment today too). Have a happy memory kinda day!!
ReplyDeleteI smile with the memories and photos of the baby duck and bunny. Then I grow sad. I miss my Mom and I know you miss yours too...just in a different capacity.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed that the tough times make us better, stronger people. But my gosh, sometimes it's just too much.
Be well, my friend. I hope this is a happy day for you.
Animals are great therapy. Thank you gor sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteOn the other subject yes ~
Feral and Forrestmans account of that event puts many things in perspective as to persevering in the face of such danger. It also makes for understanding the deeper aspects of these type of things in a more heart felt intimate accountv. You can't fatham this from news reels.
B...I've read all the segments too and today's finished me off. I'm so glad that they were smart and did the right things to survive the fire. The accounting made my stomach ache...such brave people. I know how much you are appreciated by them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for drawing attention to Feral Woman's posts. They are compelling, informative and help us realize our blessings and how close disaster lurks in anyone's life. She and her husband's life could have ended so badly if they had not been so composed and prepared.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post and cute photos ! For me my harsh past that I rarely speak about has made me who I am today and a stronger person as well . I had a great childhood on the farm but an abusive first marriage from the age of 21 for over 20 years when I found the courage and money to finally leave ! Our pasts define us and some can escape and some it lives on in them forever but the good times are what makes it all worth while !Thanks for sharing ! Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteYou never know how strong you are till being strongs your only choice!! A difficult story to read, one Janice was so brave to tell.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy seeing your moms beautiful hands!!
i have been reading each installment with marvel, horror, fear, gratitude...
ReplyDeleteB,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this story about your Mom, and family.
I love how animals are just the right kind of therapy needed to help bring out love and memories. Give your Mom a big hug :-)
A wonderful reminder to treasure what we're given, good or bad, for the lessons they give us, and then let them go. Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteI am going to follow the link and read her story. Thank you for sharing, B.
ReplyDeleteIt helps me to read others' stories of going through tough times. I think it helps me see that there is always hope, always a reason to go on. And we can help each other.
I love the photos of your mother's precious hands with those fur babies. :-)
I just love those photos of your mom holding the animals. I bet they really did give her a thrill. It is tough when you know someone has gone through something hard and they are trying to be strong and move on with their life, but it is so difficult sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI love the contrast between your Mom's gnarled hands, and the fluffy duckling!! I have thought for a year or more that would be a wonderful image, but have no idea where to get the duckling...
ReplyDeleteYeah, my heart catches every time I open Feral's blog. I can't imagine such horror as they experienced.
ReplyDeleteWe are all blessed in our ways, I do believe, and we need to remember that.
I haven't missed a post since she started writing about it. Such bravery! I know that many a person uses humor to deal with the pain. She does it well.
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures of your Mom's hands. So beautiful!
Lovely memories, great to have to always keep.
ReplyDeleteBush fires & floods that take all are not good, but some of us live in such areas when nature has it's way.
Such cute fuzzy critters. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. - just finished reading ferral woman's account. Its so important to have a plan...
ReplyDeleteNow you have me hooked on Feral's story. Four generations in one room that must be something. Its nice to weep tears of happiness.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photo of your mom's hands, It's good to remember how blessed most of us are.
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by my post, and that duck is just to adorable, so is the bunny. i have yet to see wild turkeys, i would be out there stalking them with my camera. the fires you are talking about are just horrifying as are the tornadoes and floods... my heart goes out to all that have lost so much
ReplyDeleteA picture is worth a thousand words, but more importantly holds beautiful memories.
ReplyDeleteOh Buttons - your heart is so huge I am afraid someday it will just burst with all the love that has filled it.
ReplyDeleteVery thoughtful words today, Buttons. We never really know what others have gone through, do we? Life is full of heartache and tragedy, but it is those every day special moments that we hold dear to our hearts. Lovely photos of your Dear Mother's hands. Blessings come in small packages sometimes. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you are sending people over to Janice's blog. I wanted to do the same, but have not had any energy to post anything new. So I put up a couple of old posts this week. I think it's the antibiotics that are draining me now. I will try though because I think her story is both an extremely well written account of survival and it provides some much needed advice to those of us who live in fire country. Which seems to extend to much of the Western United States. I don't know about Canada, but I remember your drought last year.
ReplyDeleteI love your pictures of your mom with the duckling and bunny. It does sometimes take a reminder to realize how blessed we truly are. I just today got caught up with Feral's posts and they made me cry, even though I know how it will end.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely memory you have stored with your pictures of your mother and the duckling. Just lovely. Isn't it wonderful how our brains can store it so that some little incident in the future will trigger all those feelings that you share today! Yes, in my job as a counsellor I have worked with so many people who have come with one issue but are really seeing if they can trust me so that they can share the issue that is eating away at their core! One lady was in her 80s before she felt safe enough to share the abuse that had happened in her childhood! How those incidents had distorted her life from the one she could/ should have had!! Sorry, gone on too long again. You always write things that strike a chord in me! Be blessed my friend of the tender heart! Joan
ReplyDeletesometimes I find the best better left there...;-)
ReplyDeletei recall visiting her blog at the time but unfortunately have let too many bloggers and their lives slip away from me since returning to school. thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteMy life is in a much better place, because once upon a time you decided to pick up the phone and call someone who was too afraid to share...she isnt anymore :)
ReplyDeleteXOXOX
I was going to catch up on Blog's Saturday night. I wasn't tired, and since we are living in one room, when one of us goes to bed, the other has to be quiet! I read Feral's entire story Saturday night before going to sleep, and I just couldn't read anything else. She, like you, has such a way with words and telling a story. I could not believe what they went through. She has been through so much, and she is so brave. I woke up Sunday thinking about her, and the blog friends I've made and feel like I know, even though I've never met them.
ReplyDeleteCindy Bee
beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYews I have been reading Feral's story of the fire, and my heart breaks for all that was lost, and it has brought me to tears many times as well, but so glad she has the strength to share it. And the "rainbow" that came after.
ReplyDeleteThe memories we have good and bad all help to shape us, so we need to let them happen
Thinking of you as you mourn the death of your Mom. Hugs and prayers across the miles, Buttons ...
ReplyDeleteA very emotional story ! Thanks for sharing ,
ReplyDeleteYou've been in my thoughts and prayers- I am sending virtual {{hugs}} through the internet to you this morning. I also remember feral's story and how brave her and her husband were during that terrifying ordeal.
ReplyDeleteA very touching post today Button.
ReplyDeletelove those pictures of your Mom's hands holding the little yellow duckling and the bunny. I read the Account of Feral woman and just shiver at the thought of that devastation.
I hope that you have a good day today.
Hugs,
JB
Sweet memory of your mom holding the bunny and chicks . . .
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing "mom memories" . . . It has helped me recall some of my own!
Lovely thoughts, Buttons - and it is wonderful that you have happy memories. I have read the stories of Feral Woman, it is amazing what the human spirit can endure. Sending you hugs and hope your week is full of happy memories. K
ReplyDeleteLovely to re-read the post.
ReplyDeleteYour posts of late are not showing up in my list, says 2 weeks since your last post...i was wondering how you was getting on...Hugs M xx
I loved this post and the photos of your mom with the sweet little duck and bunny. I'm happy that your head is full of happy times and images from that day. I am comforted by the thought of your mom talking to the animals and soothing them with her voice. They have a way of doing the same for us. I will read about Feral Woman...I'm sure there are lessons there that I was meant to see. Thank you for your kind and gentle words today, B. I tried to reply to you, but you are a no-reply blogger. Just know that your words touched me and gave me strength. xo, T.
ReplyDelete