First off this morning was a woman who I always enjoy visiting with. She is a lady in her early 80's. She taught music at a local college for many years, and is fascinating to talk to. She is a true Maine salt-of-the-earth character. She is smart, talented, funny and terribly capable. Today she told me about a trip she recently took to a foreign country. She was in a very rural area, and told me of a woman she met who lives on a school bus in the summer and in a small shack in the winter. She was fascinated that this person gave birth to 8 children then gave each one away. She went with a friend of hers who is in her early 90's. This particular friend helps her to stack wood every year, calling her on the phone and saying, "Don't you stack without me!" I love the image of these two strong women, of a certain age, piling wood high to keep the winter chill away.
Next was a lady who told me of a local group of Amish craft people who build barns and out buildings. She is having an artists studio built, and has recently visited where it will be made. I need to go see this place, it sounds fascinating.
Later this couple arrived with their little dog. I asked if they were planning to stay or were planning to run an errand. The wife replied that they might sit in their car. She had brought a good book and he had his Penny Whistle. The day was fine, and a cool breeze blew in the windows. I said, "I can't think of anything I'd enjoy more than to hear you play the Penny Whistle. Would you consider sitting here and playing while I work?" His lips switched upwards a bit and he went to the car and returned with his whistle. For the next hour he played me hymns and ancient songs and the sun shone and the birds sang and I groomed their dog and I was just so happy. The wife said, "This is so peaceful here." She was right.
The next lady brought two larger, hairy, dogs in. She has recently been quite sick, still does not feel great, and told me she didn't want to drive home and back and would stay while I groomed her pets. We chatted for a long time while I worked. She told me that she is a healer, and told me stories of healings she has performed. She told me how when she is near someone who needs help her hands get hot. She said she has been in line at the grocery store and her hands have begun to burn, and she knows someone near her needs help.
Fascinating. All of it. These people who bring me their pets and share slices of their lives with me. The ribbons of color they leave me with are so bright.
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