Indiana Roadsides

by
Jean Hughes
October 30, 1995

All through October the earth has been busy planting and mulching -- preparing for the joy that will begin next spring. I balk at the thought of each month's ending. I am like a mule wearing blinders, too stubborn to turn my head a little to see the new, and clinging resolutely to the old.

It has been especially hard for me to turn loose of this October, but I know it will take only a few days for November to enchant me with twigs and branches, and the beauty of plain and stalwart trees.

When the leaves color and fall, I am reminded that we are all in this life together: rich and poor, young and old, bird and flower, tree and stream, mite and man. We are each struggling to show the glory in us.

This week I have been rereading books written by the late Edwin Way Teale. He and his wife, Nellie, have been my inspiration.

Every living creature on earth has a spark of eternity, and Teale kindled his spark with knowledge, wonder, excellence and joy. He shared his bright flame with the world. It was about kind people such as he, who have encouraged me and shared my life, that I wrote this poem.

Leavings We are but each a flame upon the water. We share our warmth or are by life consumed. From gentle moments, in among the struggles, Come leavings, sparks of love between the dust.

From his first book, Dune Boy, to his last book, A Walk Through The Year, Teale kept his same feeling of awe and wonder at the beauty of each new day of life.

I quote from the end of his last book: "The glory of the autumn leaves is gone. But now we have trees filled with stars. One magic goes, another comes; the magic of autumn, the magic of winter. The year is a great magician."

I paraphrase his words: The earthly glory of Edwin Way Teale is gone. But the celestial trees have a new star. One magic goes, another comes; the magic of the heart, the magic of the soul. The eternal universe is a great magician.

This morning, I pick out of my recipe file a soup that can be made early in the day, then I can walk until dinnertime.

Country Pea Soup

Combine in a large kettle: 1 lb. split green peas, 8 cups water, 4 cups tomato juice, 1 ham bone, 1 1/2 cups diced potato, 1 cup each, diced celery, onion and carrot, 1 bay leaf, 1 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/4 hours, or until peas are tender. Taste for salt. Makes 4 qts. Freezes well.

Today, my bay mule, Kate, is almost camouflaged against the brown oak leaves. The mottled gray, Kit, stands out like a sycamore.

Several weeks ago, Kate was frightened during a storm and jumped the electric fence. Usually, I call her and she comes nickering to me, and so I thought getting her back into the pasture would be a cinch. I coaxed and coaxed, with words and food, but she would not come.

Keeping one mule in while trying to get another through a gate is not simple. After an hour of running, I gave up. I opened the gate in one last, desperate attempt, and yelled, honestly and gruffly, "Ah, mule, get in here!" Her ears went up. She looked me in the eye, and pranced right in.

You know, you can't sweet-talk a mule. You can't sweet-talk life, either.

* * * Now, day and night, I hear the muffled roar of picker-shellers. In the fields, cornstalks wait in line for sharp-pointed, cumbersome, mechanical barbers to give them a ragged shave, toss out their gold and leave them with a powdered, stubbly beard.

Yesterday, the wind of winter breathed down my neck. The seasons weave long threads into each other.

There's Time To Love

       My roadside is festooned with vacant nests,
       And tissue paper wind songs trill stiff leaves.
       Red rose hips, wahoo pinks and petticoats of grass
       Show evidence of summer's final gasp.
       But, oh, there's time to love my fall and winter yet,
       Though green-tip sassafras foretells the soon-come spring.

Jean's book of ramblings and recipes "A Country Mile of Winter" and her book of poetry "The Earth's My Home" are available for $4.95 each plus $1.30 for postage and handling. Ten of Jean's favorite recipes will be included free with each book ordered. Order from...

Country Mile Publications
616 E. Monroe St.
Delphi, Indiana 46923

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