THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY - TWO MONTHS DOWN
MARCH THOUGHTS
The majority of my life has been spent in the “north” - born in Iowa, college in Minnesota, high school teaching in Wisconsin, and Iowa, doctorate degree in Nebraska, teaching eighteen years in South Dakota, then another thirteen in Connecticut.
March was the transition time - between Winter and Spring. There is the old saying “March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb”, or “March comes in like a lamb and leaves like a lion”. (There were years, I think both the start and end of March were like lions!!!)
While it might not be true, it seems that March had the highest snowfall - but it generally melted quickly. My farmer friends told me that snow was a better form of moisture as it slowly melted into the soil. (LMG is that true?)
That transition can stir up some rough weather. An average of 80 tornadoes occurs each March, based on the last 20 years. This is about double the typical tornado counts observed in February or January. March is the fifth most tornadic month.
To me, tornado season starts in Oklahoma and works north - Kansas gets hit just a little later - late March or April or May. Nebraska and South Dakota get June tornadoes.
SOME MARCH QUOTES:
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
“March, when days are getting long, Let thy growing hours be strong to set right some wintry wrong.”
“March is the month God created to show people who don't drink what a hangover is like.”
***
In high school choir, we sang a version of Edward Grieg's “Last Spring”. I picture Grieg in his native Norway standing at a large picture window watching the snow and waiting for winter to be over.
(These may not be quite the words, but close the original are in Norwegian). Here’s a version with a trumpet player: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkpl3ShcTiQ
“Yet once again I could see winter leave, And springtime advancing. Buds soon appeared on hedge and tree, And flowers were dancing.
Green was the grass and the flowers now shown forth, in brilliant array. Once more I hear the joyous song of spring, And of summer.
Life in its beauty once again I see, But must from it sever; Sad then of heart I wonder if this be The last spring forever.
I picture an elderly Grieg wondering if this might be his “last spring”. (I would like this tune at my funeral!!!)
After those long winters in the north, spring WAS coming - SPRING - with new life, new birth, new hopes. The green colors of spring were dazzling - with almost every hue of green (my box of 72 colored pencils doesn’t quite have enough shades of green).
I did a lookup on shades of green and got these:
Apple Green
Aquamarine
Asparagus
Avocado
Bright Green
Chartreuse
Cyan
Dark Green
Dark Moss Green
Dark Spring Green
Dartmouth Green
Emerald Green
Fern Green
Forest Green
Green
Yellow Green
Hunter Green
Jade
Kelly Green
Lawn Green
Light Green
Lime
Mint
Moss Green
Neon Green
Nile Green
Olive
Pine Green
Pistacho
Sea Green
Shamrock Green
Spring Green
Teal
Yellow Green
(and others)
If you have ever painted a wall “green”, you took paint samples home to see what tone would be best. (and, of course, it seems like every paint company has a slightly different name to their greens!!!)
*****
Of course, on April 1st, after 31 days of March and as an old marching band member, I was tired!!! (joke)
We’ll have more March thoughts and expectations next week!!!
*****
STORY
March came hard for the Guthrie Family. It was hard to know way back nine-and-one-half months ago how the weather would be for the calving season. The first two days brought north winds and a couple of inches of snow. That followed by three days of southern breezes, sunshine, and warmth. There didn’t seem to be any middle ground as the thermometer jumped like a spooked jackrabbit.
The first calf was a healthy male calf to the old cow Dorothy. As they say, this wasn’t Dorothy’s first rodeo Dorothy calmly “did her thing” on time and even on a nice enough day (and not at night).
Peggy dropped her female calf on a warm afternoon - that was Emily’s project for 4H. Susie delivered her second calf that Emily had already named Elsa.
The other cows at Guthrie’s farm delivered - most pretty much on time. They were generally holsteins - the famous black-and-white dairy cattle - and probably the most prevalent in Southwest Wisconsin.
Agnes was the only cow who hadn’t delivered yet. Dad (Bernie) was watching the signs for Agnes - but it didn’t seem imminent. A quick-moving winter storm came through on Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, the school was called off - and of course, about 2 a.m. Agnes started to dance and prance her birthing routine. Dad got Josh and they went off to the barn. The ice was slick and Josh fell twice with the wind gusts and darkness. Finally in the barn, they huddled next to Agnes’ stall. The birth seemed hard for Agnes and lasted about two hours (about an hour longer than Peggy’s delivery). This cow was to be little Josh’s first calf for 4H.
But, then the magic of being on a farm, in a freezing cold barn with your Dad, and your first-ever calf disappeared in the bitter cold of this March night. Agnes’s calf was stillborn. Josh tried to be good about it, but the tears from expecting to raise your very own calf to not having a calf hit him - and hit him hard. He had been looking forward to raising his own calf.
Mom (Ruth) and Dad tried to comfort him and even big sister Emily (at age 10) tried to help. Mom made a big breakfast of waffles (swimming in maple syrup), with bacon - and that helped a little. But, for the next months, when Emily went with Dad to the barn to see Elsa, that lump in Josh’s throat grabbed him and threw him in a corner like a limp rag.
In early May, the family dog, Rosie, had a litter - and Dad and Mom knew that Josh would get a puppy out of the litter. Dad and Mom took Josh to the pen on the side of the barn where Rosie had her pups - four little balls that looked too small to be border collies - barely large enough to be even kittens.
Dad pulled Josh up and asked, “Which want do you want, Josh?”
Josh pointed at the smallest one - the “runt” of the litter. In a few days, when Rosie allowed Josh to pick up this ball of fur, Josh called him Moses. Dad wasn’t quite sure that “Moses” was a good name for a dog, but Josh was adamant. (Moses had led his people to the promised land, maybe Moses could help Josh heal)
*****
From that time on, it seemed as if Josh and Moses were inseparable. Generally, Mom didn’t allow the farm dogs into the house, but somehow this runt of a border collie even melted Mom’s heart enough to let Moses be with Josh. They slept together and romped around together. That summer the two of them roamed the hills and the valleys of their farm. At dinner time, Mom had to call and ring the old farm bell for Josh and Moses to come running - generally dirty and maybe wet - but always with a grin.
Mom generally admonished “Josh, take a shower and clean up for dinner.” The mudroom had a shower - and the two of them ran the water over them and reveled in the hot water. And, of course, as a violation of Mom’s rules, Moses sat at Josh’s feet and Josh would pet him and drop him morsels of food. And, when supper was over the two of them ran right out of the kitchen and back into some special place the two of them knew.
*****
Fall came - and school at River Ridge started again. The first week Mrs. Hanson - Josh’s teacher tried to get Josh to focus on his work -but Josh had a black-and-white dog running through his brain. It would take a while to get back to learning mode. And, at home, when the school bus with Emily and Josh came up the lane, Moses and Josh shared some tearful moments.
Of course, the tears changed when the bus returned in the evening - and Moses leaped into Josh’s arms.
But, Moses was growing too. That border collie nature within him grew within him. In the afternoon, he seemed compelled to help bring the cows to the barn for milking. Josh would try to keep up - and it seemed as if Moses was trying to round Josh up too.
On Saturdays Josh combed Moses - and Moses mostly stood still for the combing. His fur was always matted with cockleburrs and mud, and Josh also learned patience in loving his dog. And, as happened in the Wisconsin woods, Josh picked out ticks from both Moses and himself. Boy and dog - it just didn’t get much better than this.
*****
And, boy and dog grew up together - each with their skills - be it a top student or a top border collie.
And, next year, when Agnes delivered a fine female calf, the three - dog, calf, and boy romped through the pasture!
When Josh was old enough, Dad allowed him to drive the four-wheel Gator around the property. Josh would chase Moses on the four-wheeler and Moses would chase Josh. And Josh would let Moses ride “shotgun” with him.
One cloudy October Saturday, Moses arrived at the back door and was barking his head off. Mom was working on some projects and wondered what was up with Moses. This wasn’t like him to be alone and to be barking. He circled around the door - inviting Mom to come after him. She grabbed the other Gator and followed Moses. Down one of the steep ravines she saw it - the other Gator flipped over and Josh unconscious under it. With somehow superhuman strength, she righted the Gator and grabbed Josh. He had a gash in his left arm and had lost some blood but he had a pulse and was breathing normally. She called Dad with the news. He was on the only real level ground harvesting corn but came quickly to the scene. Together they got the unconscious Josh onto the bigger Gator and got to the Markley Hollow Road. Mom had taken the second Gator and got the family car and soon was at the same spot. Dad and Mom loaded Josh - and Moses - who demanded to be in the car with Josh to the Crossing Rivers Hospital Emergency room. Two emergency room workers gently put Josh on a gurney and wheeled him in - with Moses at their heels. (But, they wouldn’t let Moses part their doors).
Mom and Dad alternated - one in the waiting room and one staying with Moses outside. But, the strangest thing happened - about our hour with furious barking and perpetual motion, all of a sudden, Moses climbed back into the Gator and laid down. Dad was with the dog at that time. He was about to give his wife a call when his cell beeped with a call from her.
“Hello,” Bernie Guthrie answered.
“Bernie, Josh just woke up. They have bandaged his wounds and he is groggy but alert and happy. I’m with him.”
Bernie said, “Put the phone on speaker.” Ruth did so.
Bernie then said “I love you son” - but as he was talking Moses barked a happy bark too.”
During the few days of recovery, Josh begged so hard, they let Moses be at his bedside (other than when Bernie Guthrie took Moses outside).
And, Moses won the hospital staff over to having a dog in the room. He didn’t bark but did growl when a nurse had to give Josh a shot.
Boy and Dog; Dog and Boy!! A beautiful relationship.
*****
End of today’s story
Animals play a big part in our lives It seems as if most of my friends have a dog or cat (or multiple pets). My sister (BF) has Coco; my Houston niece has Foxy, my Phoenix niece has Alpie; my son and family have Deli, KW has Jack - a beautiful white cat; BN has Mollie; MN has Kiki (dog) and Fritz (cat); RP has Lily and Gabe (two cats), TG has a dog as does AG, KF has a cat.
My family didn’t have pets growing up - so I really haven’t been a pet owner (and, the ‘reality’ - owned by a pet!!). I’ve thought with my schedule and my life it wouldn’t be fair to them.
And, that relationship between boy and dog can be likened to our relationship to our spouses, and maybe to our relationship to God.
*****
WRAP-UP!!!
I will be planting some green bean seeds in the next few days. I don’t have a real garden - just a couple of containers on my apartment patio. I do have two marble-sized tomatoes on my tomato plants from last fall. I brought them in and they kept growing.
I’m still glad I don’t have a television. I (somewhat unfortunately watched television last week when I spent three days with friends (who had electricity, heat, and water). I’m finding that “ignorance is bliss” in the political arena. Love one another, if you can be anything - be nice; love your neighbor as yourself, forgive, forgive, forgive.
I miss you all - and I am happy that we are moving ahead with vaccinations - maybe - YES - maybe normality (whatever that is) can return!!!
LOVE WINS!!!
Karen
