A North Wind | 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.

    Not in my wildest dreams, did I expect an "early service" in July to warrant a light sweater! I did awaken, earlier than usual but even now, an hour later, it is in the mid sixties. This is all due to a beautiful breeze from the north. Needless to say, the windows are up in the farmhouse.

    With the mid week holiday, and it being summer, I must make great effort to keep "my bearings" straight. I hope that "Sunday Dinner" will reset my internal clock, for the last three days, have all felt like "Saturday". If it were not for bills, I would no doubt, remain blissfully ignorant of the passage of months. I know it is early July, and that satisfies me . . .and that is what I would answer if someone asked me the time, though if hard pressed, I may say something like "it is just after supper".

    Since the breeze coming in the kitchen windows, could be likened to the earliest days of autumn, I decided to bake a meatloaf and have the cheese biscuits, that Mama loves. Both require an oven and I avoid such meals when it is so very hot. When I had pots simmering and the meatloaf baking, I decided to cut a few more branches, that were bothering a young cherry tree. When I came in, the pots were boiling, Thoreau had come out of the woods and "Mr. Collins was proposing to Elizabeth", -for I was watching Pride and Prejudice and reading passages, just enough to ponder, while I concocted the meatloaf.

    I am always doing several things at once. My sister Connie is the same. Her husband Mike told a story, that he was working on a project that required heavy lifting and realised he needed a certain tool. Connie took off to get it for him. Mike waited and waited some more until he finally stopped and went to look for Connie. She was weeding a flower bed.

    It always amuses me to think that the same traits, we bear can be at times a shining strength and at other times a weakness. When I listen to a sermon, I have to constantly reign my thoughts back to the subject. Otherwise, I' m thinking about making gravy for the roast to be served or letting the dog out, the moment I return. Even lengthy, group prayers are difficult, for I start on my own prayer and end up missing what we were collectively asking for. It also happens when I am painting a room or mowing. I have several areas going at once, which really is less harmful than missing a sermon. Yet, when my five children were young, it was quite a strength to handle the many necessities that showed up all at once and every job I have ever had, required the ability to jump from one thing to another.

    There are a few things that allow me to focus deeply. A canvas, a sonata and a good book are some of them.

    Sunday Dinner, which is served at mid day, on the rabbit patch, was a nice time. Mama and Daddy came and we took a short walk outside afterwards. I could not believe the way the wind was sweeping across the yard and the coolness of it was another shock. I do not ever remember such a cool spell in July. . .and I will not forget this one anytime soon.

    Sunday dinner never gets old to me. How can gathering around a table, laden with savory dishes, and loved ones in every chair, ever be anything but "golden" ? Such moments make gratitude well up in my heart like a happy fountain.

    After Mama and Daddy left, I went in with the intention of writing in the Rabbit patch Diary. I was asleep in a very short while. It was a good, deep, sleep and I have no idea how long it was. I woke up very disappointed to have wasted such an unusual afternoon. I used to never nap, in the broad daylight! That has not been the case for almost a year now. If I eat a hearty meal . . .and then attempt to read . . and a window fan hums lazily . . . I am more likely to take a nap, than Lyla.

    I did go back to the edge of the young woods, and waged war again with the vines and bracken til at last, I declared victory. . . and I have the battle scars to prove it too.