Historical Setting, 629 C.E. Along the creek in the Vosges
This is the season when brittle winter softens to life. Ana and I are hearing the grandchildren tell us things they remembered of the creek last summer. One turns over a rock just now at the edge of the water and a little crayfish is found to be wintering in that place. Suddenly, exposed and vulnerable it scurries deeper into the creek.
Hannah comes down and reminds me it’s time to go up the hill by the fireside to listen to all the versions of events that have mattered over these missing years. One-by-one each of my children takes the bench across from my chair and we whisper in threads of story, mending our gap in time.
Haberd and his wife are the first. He works the farm and his wife keeps it all in order. His wife’s report is of crops and beasts and successes. Haberd’s report is of drought and flood. His concern is the factors beyond the control of a farmer.
He tells me, “So much dampness last season the weeds grew faster than the crops and it would have led to spoilage of all our straw. But,” he explained, “The sun shelters I had to put out in the pasture a year ago when we had too much heat made useful racks for drying all that straw this year.”
“That’s your gift, Haberd, to work one problem to solve the next. You always seem to find the creative resources.”
“Yes, but Papa, the problem that I have now is something I wish you would mention to Greg. This farm requires an inordinate amount of dry straw because Greg comes here at any random time, such as now, bringing large numbers of beasts – horses and mules. I said that’s a lot for one farm to take on, and he just suggests I should be glad he isn’t leaving herds of camels or even elephants. He expects me just to accept this extra burden.
“Should I suggest Greg find another pasture for so many beasts?”
“No, Papa. That isn’t really the problem. We aren’t even depending on that particular pasture area anymore. We just have the one mule, and the donkey goes with the goats in the walled in area. So really the pasture is just for these visitors — but ten horse and ten mules is a lot. I just want him to know.”
“When I speak to him, I’ll suggest some gratitude in place of threats of camels.”
Greg is next up.
(Continues Tues. March 26)
Lazarus Ink 