Faerie Tale Ball

   When I was a child, my grandparents lived just down the road from the farm.  In fact, the Little Bayou House stands right next to their house and my brother lives in it today.  As a child, I was often allowed to go spend the night with Grandmother and Granddaddy.  For a tyke whose only fulltime friends were older siblings, these visits were a special treat.  Later, I found out that I was literally sent there whenever Mom needed a break.  Having five kids was quite a job and I am sure that I, being the youngest, was quite a handful at times.  Still, I thought it was a reward of some sort to be allowed to stay the night.  Even though their house was about a quarter of a mile from the farmhouse (and then down a wooded lane of about that same distance), I would pack my little bag and walk to their house.  I admit that sometimes it was a bit scary for a preschooler to be alone on that long hike.  Several times, people driving down the road would stop and ask where I was going.  I am sure these were just neighbors being concerned as after I reassured them I was on my way to Grandmother's place, they would pull into the driveway to confirm with Mom.  Neighbors used to watch out for each other. The only other frightening time was when several stray dogs approached.  Thankfully, Granddaddy was in the lane and heard the commotion.  He came to my rescue!

  While on the pier yesterday morning, it was dark enough that all of the lights from across the Bay were casting beautiful streaks on the calm waters.  Those lights jogged a memory loose from the nooks and crannies of the brain.  I started thinking about those pleasant nights spent with grandparents.  My hike to my grandparent's house would begin in midafternoon and I would have supper with them.  Then, I was allowed to stay up and play a game with Grandmother or sit on Granddaddy's lap while he watched the news.  He had a huge rocking chair that seemed to be perfect for two!  Afterward, he would read me a story!  Then, I would climb in the big double bed and try to sleep.  The room seemed huge as this was the only place that I did not share a room with siblings.  To overcome the feeling of "aloneness", I learned to turn toward the big windows that faced the Bay.  Across the water was Keesler Air Force Base.  The lights of the Base were a source of interest to this little girl.  By day, they were the Air Base.  By night, they became a castle.  In my imagination, a fanciful ball was taking place under those lights!  Either Belle, Cinderella or even the Twelve Dancing Princesses were twirling in their loveliest ball gowns just across the Bay.  (My imagination worked really great even back then.)

  Sitting in the stillness of the predawn hours, my brain flitted from one memory of my grandparents to another.  I am glad that I was able to grow up being involved with them.  I learned so many things from how to appreciate a good cup of tea in a fine porcelain cup to using a wood lathe to turn candlesticks.  Sometimes, sitting in the dark by oneself is all it takes to set things right with the world.

  

PLAY BALL!

  Ms. Ez is a funny old dog.  She is quite unlike any other we have ever had here on the Bayou.  Most were outside dogs that got plenty of exercise bounding about the hillside chasing squirrels, rabbits and coons.  They would roam the marshes in hunt of snakes.  Rarely did we see any moccasins since the dogs made quick work of them.  They would sling them back and forth until the snake's head literally popped off.  (We learned real quick to stay far, far away when the dogs were hunting.)  These outdoor dogs would swim in the Bay and sleep on the cold ground.  They hated dog houses, cushy beds and being indoors.  Ms. Ez, on the other hand, sleeps on a large, eight inch thick, plush bed.  She has never been in the marsh other than one time when she fell off the pier.  Her whole swimming in the Bayou was limited to one time when she carried a rope to Mark.  He was far out on the pier during one tropical storm.  A midsection of planking had been blown loose and was ripping up other parts of the pier so he braved the storm to protect the pier.  He was in dire need of a rope to tie off the loose section so Ms. Ez went to work.  I tied the rope in a bale and handed it to her.  She swam about a hundred feet to carry the rope to him.  Job well done!  That was great but it is not the norm for her.  I have to make sure she gets plenty of run time or else she will not sleep at night.  Squirrels give her a bit of exercise but the rest is up to me.  We play ball.  I toss the thing down the hill and she chases it, snags it and brings it back to me.  The typical game of fetch is by far her favorite.  She will play with anyone who is willing to toss that ball.  One time years ago, I watched her try to interest a turtle in a game of fetch.  She would pick up the ball and drop it right in front of the turtle.  The turtle would turn in the other direction or hide in its shell.  Ms. Ez would push the ball up to the turtle's nose but it was all to no avail.  It is really hard to get a turtle to throw a ball!  Ms. Ez tried but that turtle would not cooperate!  Now she has learned to bring the ball to the top of the hill and push it down the board path. She will bolt down the path chasing that ball until she catches up with it.  This game is repeated for hours on end.

   This past week, Mark Jr., Joanna and Mary Ruth (son, daughter-in-law and grandbaby!) were visiting the Bayou.  Mary Ruth loved Ms. Ez.  She would squeal with delight every time she saw the old dog.  Ms. Ez was mutually impressed with this tiny human!  She adored the baby and wanted to constantly be near her.  It was necessary to separate the two of them at times since the dog is rather large and a bit clumsy. I put Ms. Ez outside.  There she spied her ball or rather all three of them.  She immediately grabbed one and ran up to me.  I tossed the thing only to hear a loud squeal come from inside.  My son had Mary Ruth standing by the window so she could watch the fun.  That did it.  Ms. Ez promptly forgot that I even existed!  She snatched the ball and raced to the steps!  Once there, she peered through the long window beside the door.  There are two of these windows, one on either side of the door and Mark had Mary Ruth standing right in front of one of them.  Ms. Ez could climb the step and be inches away from the baby but still be separated from her.  Poor old dog kept bringing that ball to the window.  She would try to hand it to Mary Ruth only to have the ball drop to the ground.  Mary Ruth would let out a earsplitting shriek once again!  Ms. Ez thought that meant for her to get the ball and try to "give".  This game went on and on until it was lunch time for Mary Ruth.

  This game of fetch was not the usual toss and retrieve but rather a nice game of "drop" and retrieve but it kept the two of them entertained for over an hour.  Plus, with the dog climbing those steps about two hundred times, she got plenty of exercise and all I had to do was take pictures!  I do believe this was a most beneficial game!  PLAY BALL!!!!