In a Twinkling | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Please join me in welcoming Author Michele Rhem, who presents us with her poignant memoirs of the Rabbit Patch, where her diaries weave tales of a simpler, expressive life lost to many, but gathered together in her most familiar environs - the Rabbit Patch.

    There has been a lot of "rain and shine" on the rabbit patch as of lately. It is not the time to plan a picnic or hang clothes on the line.

    I love rain. Some folks declare the event of rain, a gloomy affair causing a sense of melancholy. I find it calming-of course there is the leaking roof. The hallway is still a horrid mess. The leak was an insignificant repair, but the entire ceiling was effected. The old farmhouse was built almost a century ago with materials that are hard to match and so replacement is never an easy task. Thank goodness, Kyle has progressed enough, that at least, it does not "rain in the house."

    There ought to be more than a few four-leaf clovers, on the rabbit patch territory, just now, as the whole land here, is covered in mounds of the sweet smelling flowers. The daily showers have put us in quite a predicament. It is just too wet to mow. It wouldn't be of any consequence, except the yard is close to four acres. Hence, I smell the clover blossoms in the night air and think I should enjoy the time when the world is full of clover. Besides, I have seen the first young bunnies. They are finding the world, beyond their burrows and how nice that they are greeted with every rabbits' fancy- endless tufts of clover.

    The holiday week end affords me the delightful pleasure of having all of my children home for a visit. Not since Christmas, has this transpired -and to say I am thrilled, would be quite an understatement. Gathering five grown children is no small task. We will also celebrate Tres' birthday, which is actually tomorrow. I do not know when he grew up-but like the rest of my children, he did. I think mothers, may be the last to know such things.

    Tres went from one of the fairest children, the world has ever seen, to a very handsome young man, over six foot tall. I did notice my son was tall. Not even, when he started shaving, did I have a clue, that Tres had grown up. When he moved out of the home, in my mind he was "just staying" somewhere else. Tres grew up right before my eyes, and it seemed when I realized it, I was shocked. It seemed like an entire decade had passed swiftly . . . and in a sly manner. It seemed to me, that he was collecting rocks and plowing fields with little tractors, a short while ago. It had been just a few years back, that he had seen the only kangaroo in eastern North Carolina, on the way to the mailbox.

    When Tres is home this week end, I will ask his advice about down sizing. He will survey the old house and make a check list of priorities of repairs, after all, Tres did grow up, even if it was in "a twinkling".

    Dear Diary, I am glad for seasons of "rain and shine." I am glad when the world is full of clover. I am so glad for a holiday when the family can gather . . .but most of all, I am glad for a little boy that grew up and became a noble man . . . and calls me "Mom".