Well, here I am back again, gentle readers. Been a while, I know, but that’s on account of the writing going so well. Yup, I just penned number 95 in The Magdalene Poems collection, and the spate shows no signs of drying up, so on I’ll write. This is the most productive I’ve ever been, and I’m writing some very good stuff, if I do say so myself. If I like it, and The Mister (my live-in editor and literary critic) likes it, that’s good enough for me!
Last time I said I’d tell you about “the goofy sun face and li’l Amish children. The facts are these…
Once the container garden was planted and lovely blossoms were popping up all around, I turned my attention to the shed wall behind it. As you might recall, the gardening magazines my choir director so foolishly gave me showcased some imaginatively decorated garden sheds, and although I wasn’t prepared to create anything quite so elaborate, I assured The Mister a few items scrounged from local yard and garage sales would do fine in finishing off the project.
The very next Saturday our neighbours across the street had a yard sale, and lo and behold here were little figurines made from blocks of wood in the shape of Amish boys and girls in their bonnets, overalls, and pinafores, a couple holding hands, another pair holding a heart between them, yet another twosome holding a “Welcome” sign, and three more on their little wooden bikes. I’m about to gush here, so prepare yourselves…they were absolutely darling! I couldn’t wait to get home and find the perfect places for the kids in and between the boxes. They gave my garden an engaging touch of whimsy, and I can’t help cooing over them every time I see them!
There was also a larger wooden figure of an angel ascending with two hearts on a ribbon behind her. I had The Mister fasten her to the middle of the shed wall. Then I went through my storage trunk and found some silk flowers, purple and white, which The Mister obligingly hung to the right of the angel. But the left hand panel remained empty and forlorn.
“Not to worry, Missus,” The Mister said, “I’m sure something appropriate will turn up sooner or later.”
And that’s when I remembered the sun face I had purchased at the dollar store last summer when The Mister was away out West. I had tried putting it on the shed myself, but I didn’t have the right hardware. It fell off with a mighty rattle, so I picked it up and tucked it away…and promptly forgot about it. Until then!
“It’s going to be sooner rather than later,” I rejoiced, and went to retrieve it from its hiding place. I pulled it out of the bag to give it to The Mister, and oh my! I’d forgotten how goofy it looked. A great golden face with a spaced-out expression that said, “Baby, what was in those brownies?!” I passed it to The Mister who tacked it up without judgement or comment.
Then I took a step back and surveyed our handiwork.
“Gotta say, Pa, that is one girly-lookin’ shed.”
He squinted at it and replied, “Only the outside. I still have my gas cans on the inside.”
“Ah! You’re right. Nothing says masculinity like gas.”
He turned his squint on me and I thought it best to be on my way.
