For Estelle

Today is the day of the funeral service for my dear friend, Estelle. I will share two poems she wrote in honor of her grandchild who died too young. They speak to me on this day of mourning. 

OPENING ACT

            For Tara

Floating painlessly above sand dunes,

she picks a star from the heavens,

places it in her hair.

She dances -- arabesques, pirouette, tour jetes.

Crabs click castanets.

Fish swish their tails like bows

on a thousand violins.

Shells clang cymbals,

and sea oats wave batons.

She sees her family sleeping,

throws a kiss across the waves,

understands that the ribbon of love

connecting her heart with theirs

will one day erase tears.

The moon lay down

a golden path on a velvet sea.

To choirs of angels,

applaud of saints,

she dances with joy into eternity.

MOURNING DOVE

            For Tara, 1964-2003

A Mourning Dove was my companion.

She strutted and cooed

outside my window.

I fed her crumbs from my morning toast.

She returned in the evening

and a gray mantle enveloped

the distant mountains.

I sustained her. In some ways

I cherished her.

Then I remembered

peacock colors covering the hills,

tinting the trees, the clouds.

I sang again. Thanked my companion

and let her fly away.

Quiet Times 

Poems by Estelle Darrow Rice

copyright 2004

I will continue with my hospital adventure.

On the second day at the hospital, I felt much better, able to sit up in a chair. However, the nurse came in and took more blood. 

Then they put in another IV for HEPERIN, a blood thinner. So I had two IVs in one arm plus oxygen going all the time. However, more people from the lab arrived and struggled to find veins for additional needles. My poor hands were like pincushions. 

I began talking about going home. When my oxygen levels were normal again and my breathing was much better, I wanted to get out of that place. I knew my care at home would be good, and if I didn't need those IVs or oxygen, I knew I would be better at home. 

Besides losing an IV that had been poorly taped on, and bleeding like I had been stabbed in the heart, my Sunday went as well as could be expected. My food was listed as a Cardiac diet, full of carbs, and no one gave me my diabetes meds. 

"We only give Metformin and Insulin," I was told. Well, I don't use either, so for three days, I don't know what my blood sugar was doing because no one checked it, and I took no meds. 

They gave me my nighttime drugs in the morning. By Sunday night, I was asking for my Ativan, which I only take when my anxiety is very high. I made an agreement with the doctors that I would stay over one night, but I was going home on Monday. The holdup seemed to be with the cardiologist, who wanted me to have an Echocardiogram and a stress test before dismissing me.

I knew I could have those tests done as an outpatient by my own doctor, so there was no reason to stay in the hospital. I called my primary care doctor and made an appointment, and contacted my cardiologist, who said she would see me when I was dismissed. Finally, in the early afternoon on Monday, the hospital cardiologist made her first visit to my room and said she was in favor of dismissing me. 

I have good insurance, and I know that the hospital and all four doctors will receive a good-sized payment. If they had added two more days and two more tests, it would have hit my insurance in a big way. But, I learned from my doctors I saw after being dismissed that the major concern the hospital doctors had was their fear of a malpractice claim. 

Our country is known for lawsuits, large and small, for deaths and injuries, and I assume all doctors are fearful of litigation, especially hospitals. Two members of my family died from medical mistakes, and the doctors were sued, but only one family won their case. My father died from too much sedation in the hospital, but we didn't file a suit. My brother died because the hospital to which he was transferred when he had a fluid buildup did nothing for him for 24 hours. His heart gave out while he waited. We did not file a lawsuit.

I have a healthy fear of hospitals. Those in charge don't know me, what I need or what I can't have. Although my meds are written down over and over and should be on file, no one seems to glance at them. Without an excellent advocate by your side who will speak up when you can't, it is a wonder anyone gets good care. I felt I had to educate every nurse who came into my room about me, why I was there, what I was allergic to, what I needed, and what I could not have. I wanted an Alka-Seltzer, which I sometimes take at night, but no. We can get you something else for heartburn if that is your problem. 

I was finally dismissed late Monday afternoon, and my sister had come home, so she drove me back to my apartment. My stress level dropped rapidly, but I continue to fight the symptoms of COVID, with a cough and fatigue. Those symptoms seem to linger for a while. 

Hospitals are wonderful for emergency care or some surgeries, but even the doctors I talked with at the hospital said our medical system is broken. I had two surgeries in the past three years, a knee replacement and surgery for a broken shoulder. Both were outpatient. I had excellent care at home. The only problem was that the anesthesia made me deathly ill for two weeks after the shoulder surgery. I think they gave me something I am allergic to. You never know.

Estelle Rice, my longtime friend

One of my dearest friends died last weekend. She and I collaborated on a book, Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers, and Fins. I will miss her so much, even though she lived in North Carolina and I am now in Georgia, we stayed in touch. I am glad she was able to be at home in her bed when she passed away. 

The good news is I am going strong again now, and I hope to teach another writing class in June or July.

I am blessed with a caring and understanding family and wonderful friends, both online and in person. 

My sister, Gay, my friend, Mary Mike, and I at Estelle's 100th birthday party

Have a good Memorial Day weekend if you celebrate it. I will remember those I know who died in wars our country fought, all young men who never had the chance to grow old. 

Animal stories--seems everyone has one. What about you?

My life has been busy the past few weeks. Our NCWN-West website was down and it took forever to get it back up. I was on the computer for hours. Shipping books to fill orders kept me running to the post office as well.

My co-writer, Estelle Rice and I held a book signing at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Hayesville, NC last Sunday, October 14. Estelle and her husband attended this church for many years and she is still a member. I knew she was loved, but was not prepared for all the men and women who crowded around her, hugging and kissing her over and over.

We were delighted at the animal lovers who could not wait to get their copies of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins. One person stood counting on her fingers how many books she was going to purchase for gifts. She ended up with seven copies.

I enjoyed hearing the stories and seeing photos of pets of those who wanted our book. I was especially happy when Carol S. , one of the first to buy our book, bought another book to give to her friend.

One day this week, my dear brother-in-law, Charlie, called and told me how much he enjoyed the book I sent to him. He had a suggestion I might consider one day. Charlie said we should call this the first volume of Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins and then do a second and a third book using stories of other people who love their pets. What a neat idea, but not right now. I am overwhelmed with work for NCWN-West and for myself.

What do you think, dear readers? Would you have a story to offer if we do another book about animals we love? Charlie, who has a dog he loves dearly, said he had three stories he could tell me.
My friend, Linda, once had a huge rabbit named Studley. Today she told me some great stories about him. He was quite a character.

Of course, I have many more stories that did not go into this book that I could include in the next book. Just an idea, but fun to contemplate. I did not even include my beloved horse, Pretty Thing, who was with me thirty years. Linda said she really likes the color pictures in the book. I, too, think they made a big impact.

 This week, I will celebrate my birthday with Gay and Stu, my sister and BIL. And they will celebrate Paws and Claws, etc. with a book party for me on Tuesday. I will read and speak on writing  and sign for those who want to take a book  home. I look forward to that.  Gay and Stu are so supportive of me and I love them very much. I am blessed indeed.

Have a good week. If you live in my area, come to Writers Night Out in Blairsville, GA on November 9 when Estelle and I will read from our book.

You want to know about this!

We are featured on the NCWN Book Buzz page: Thanks to Charles Fiore.

https://www.ncwriters.org/index.php/our-members/book-buzz

We have a new website/blog. That is, Estelle Rice and I have a site for our books. Check it out here.  Be sure to look for the Pages where you can see where we will be reading or signing books and for Your Comments.We would love to hear from those who have read any of our books. Send comments to gcbmountaingirl@gmail.com. I will publish them on Your Comments.Or you can leave your comments on the page.

Our new book is Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins: Family Pets and God's Other Creatures. We published a collection of stories about our own pets and also added some fiction about animals. We included poems. One of mine is about our first mixed-breed dog, Rocky, and how he came to be with us. A touching story is about Barry, my husband, and how a special horse helped cure his depression after open heart surgery.

Rocky came to us when we most needed him, but I didn't want him.

Estelle wrote a funny story about what happened when she tried to tell her youngest child where babies came from using the pregnant family dog. All of her stories are entertaining, include humor and keep you reading until the end.

We have been pleased by the number of books ordered, and we hope more orders will come in as Christmas nears. The books, filled with color pictures, are great gifts for animal lovers. 

We each published a poetry chapbook some years ago. That is a small book of around 28 pages of poems. Estelle's book, Quiet Times, is a lovely collection of inspirational poems that is loved by everyone who reads it. 

My poetry book, Now Might As Well Be Then, was published by Finishing Line Press and sold on Amazon.com. But recently I learned Amazon is not selling books with the binding used on my book. Sadly, someone has stolen the link to my book and now when you click on it, you go to a website that sells devices. The book is still available at Finishing Line Press and from me.

In 1998, I combined my genealogy research with creative nonfiction and published a hard back, beautiful book: Profiles and Pedigrees, Descendants of Thomas Charles Council (1858 -1911)  Although I was not as good a writer back then, I am proud of this book because I spent ten years researching the lives of my grandfather, Tom Council and his ten children. 

All of our books can be found at Blue Heaven Press.

A Poem from Quiet Times by Estelle Rice:

Silence

When I am silent,

thoughts surge onto the shore

of my consciousness.

There is no place to hide

or deny my fears.

Silence endures my frailties,

nudges me toward the paths

where I will meet myself.

Silence encourages me

to listen to the universe,

that I may hear

the songs of angels.

             ---Estelle Rice

A Child's Escape to the Barn

My readers, my friends, know that I grew up on a farm in southwest Georgia. I loved the barn on the farm. As you can tell in this poem, I found lots to be interested in. The smells, the light and darkness, the animals and just the atmosphere was comforting.

A Child’s Escape to the Barn

By Glenda Council Beall

I enter the barn through the corn crib.

Flour dusts the floor around the hand mill.

Gray mice feed on cracked kernels;

either very brave or too greedy

to notice my intrusion.

The fragrance of cottonseed meal,

heady in my nostrils, tempts me

to see if it really tastes like toasted nuts.

Light shoots into darkness through narrow

crevices between wide rough boards.

Rays seek out the spiders' lacy traps

lining corners, the angle made by roof and wall.

Chickens, fat and full, sit placid,

in straw-filled boxes hung high above

the ground, protected from predators

except one that coils, swallows their eggs.

Musty smells arise from the lot

where hard-worked mules munch on grain

in troughs held fast to cured pine walls

by hammered twenty-penny nails.

I climb the ladder to the loft.

Wide eyes of feral kittens peep

from behind bales of hay. They skitter

away, tails aloft, straight as flag poles.

Tiny English sparrows twitter and flit.

Some nest on rafters under the eaves. 

I’m a natural born citizen of this place

but they have made a home here.

Without warning a summer shower pounds

the tin roof, runs off and wets the black mix

of dung and dirt, serves me up an odor rich

with life. I'm overcome with contentment.

This poem and others similar to it will be included in the book, Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins, by Estelle Darrow Rice and Glenda Council Beall. Use the contact box at the top of the Sidebar to order the book at the discount price of $14.00 plus $3.00 S&H

This lovely creature has a story in the book.

What will spring and summer bring?

Although there is snow on the ground at my house tonight, spring will be here before we know it. January promises to be a cold, rainy, icy and snowy month here in the mountains. I have all my heating units, central, gas and a couple of heaters working tonight. Lexie wants me to go to bed where she gets under the covers and stays warm. 

But the weather will get better in a couple of months.

I am happy to be going up to Waynesville, NC to meet with the Netwest Mountain Writers on Tuesday, March 13 at 1:00 p.m. Merry Elrick, our NCWN-West Rep heads up that group which meets at the Trailhead Bakery & Café,18 N. Main Street.  Merry invites writers and people who can speak about the world of writing to their monthly meetings. I enjoy seeing and talking with writers in our region and speaking about NCWN-West. I hope we will have long time members there as well as people who want to know more about our writers organization. I have some good friends I met years ago in the Haywood County region and would love to see them when I am there.

Estelle Rice, author of fiction, poetry, personal essays

Mary Ricketson, Cherokee County rep, has taken over the monthly reading at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. My dear friend, Estelle Rice, will join me on Wednesday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m. She and I have collaborated on a collection of poems, stories and essays about the animals we love and other creatures who share the world with us. Our book, Paws, Claws, Hooves, Feathers and Fins, will be published by the time we read at the folk school. 

I hope our local readers will put this date on their calendar and come out to hear about our book and hear Estelle read her delightful stories. 

When the book is ready, I will post information on where it can be purchased and I am sure, if you buy this book, you will get some smiles and even some laughs from it. But, you will also read some touching words, especially if you like pets or have had pets in your home. 

Happy Birthday, Estelle Rice

I had a birthday this  month and celebrated in the best way I can imagine.

My friend, Mary Mike and I hosted a lunch for our dear friend, Estelle Rice. Estelle is celebrating a big one, but we don't talk about numbers.

The group that gathered was just large enough and not too large to carry on some great conversations.

Some of Estelle's oldest writer friends attended, including Paul Donovan and Glenda Barrett. Paul read a cute piece that had us laughing at ourselves. Mary Mike read two poems by Estelle from her book, Quiet Times. 

Age has no bearing on following your passions and continuing with what you enjoy doing as long as you are healthy enough to pursue your goals. Estelle is still writing poems and revising short stories. She still works on her family history, the genealogy of her lines. And  most importantly, Estelle keeps smiling and stays positive even when her life is not as cheery as her voice. 

From left: Paul Donovan, Glenda Barrett, Estelle Rice, Glenda Beall,Carole Thompson, 
Mary Mike Keller, Staci Bell

Do You Support Other Writers and Friends?

JC Walkup, writer, editor and publisher

On www.netwestwriters.blogspot.com site, JC Walkup wrote a post about why writers should join our chapter of NCWN. I like what she said about us. She said we are not in competition with each other, we support each other and always help our writing friends when they need it.

It sounds too good to be true, but she is right.
I don't know if I could have published as much of my work if I had not had writers like Estelle Rice, Michelle Keller, Janice Moore, Carol Crawford, and Nancy Simpson who read my stories and poems and gave me honest and helpful suggestions to how I could make my work better. We do this for each other.

Get Feedback
I can share my work with other writers in NCWN West and get good feedback, not mean-spirited criticism, or jealousy. I think we all truly want the best for each other. Nothing pleases me more than to see the success of my friends and my students.

Wouldn't it be great if more people, instead of trying to step on someone to get ahead, tried lifting someone instead?

I have found that when I lift someone up, I rise with them. 

I have never gained anything good by putting down others. 

When I try to improve myself, when I compete with my own results, I come closer to achieving my goals.

Be an Example

If I had a child, I would tell him, "Try to be the best person you  can be, and treat your fellow man as you would want him to treat you. Then you can live and enjoy a good life." 

And the child would likely say, "Please, don't preach to me!"

Because, you can't tell people anything and expect them to listen. Just as we say in writing class, show, don't tell.
Let you life be a lesson.  

Students are Inspired and Inspiring at Writers Circle Today

Today, Saturday, my dear friend and fellow writer, Estelle Rice, taught a class at Writers Circle, my studio in Hayesville, NC. All the students participated and seemed to enjoy each exercise Estelle gave them. It was obvious that she was well prepared for today.

Estelle has written some delightful short stories such as Antiques which appeared in Lights in the Mountains and her story, Chicken and Dumplings in Echoes Across the Blue Ridge.

A few years ago, she published a poetry chapbook, Quiet Times, filled with spiritual poems.

Like our other guest writers this summer, Estelle was inspired by the students. Some of them are experienced writers and some are beginners.

I am sure they all left today with new ideas that will end any writer's block or hesitation to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

I can't wait to further explore the notes I scribbled on my legal pad.

Pursue Your Dreams Now

Some of my students at JCCFS in 2009

April 6, we begin our Spring and Summer sessions with a class titled Who are You  and Why do You Write? I teach that class and the class is full but we will take names for a waiting list.

In May, Mary Mike Keller, talented writer and artist, teacher and genealogist, will teach a class of three sessions, one class each Wednesday for three weeks, on finding your ancestors and writing about them.

On June 19, Rosemary Royston, who just completed her MFA, will teach Humor in Poetry. We all like to laugh, and Rosemary is one of the best at putting that little twist of humor in her poetry.

I will also teach another writing class in June. Date to be Announced.

Estelle Rice will teach this summer and we hope to have the dates for her class next week.

Stay tuned and put these dates on your calendar if you are a beginning or even experienced writer, because there will be something here for you.

Tonight I heard from a man who was in one of my classes at John Campbell Folk School a few years ago. He had never thought he would write, but has now gone on to take two more classes at JCCFS, and now wants a recommendation for his application to get his MFA. Oh, yeah, he is retired after a long medical career. He plans to write fiction.

It is never too late to pursue your dreams. Go for it. Congrats, Don.