DuQuoin State Fair 2014

This is my friend Sara's scrapbook page entry for the DuQuoin State Fair 2014.  She won a red ribbon, Second Place in this division.  The lower left photo on the bottom rail with gold and white is Amanda's quilt, (last year) which won a white ribbon, Third Place.  In the other two photos the quilt with the blue squares, a whale and flower is Dakota's quilt, (last year) which won a red ribbon, Second Place.  This is so cool.  Winning ribbons on top of winning ribbons.  What a neat scrapbook entry!  Only Sara would have thought of this.

The 
   "OTHER" 
        Iris Garden"

It was just busy work, something to do, helping track down the members of the Herrin Township High School Class of 1963.  It was 2013 and time for our fiftieth golden reunion.  I was really looking forward to seeing our surviving class members.  I have very fond memories of classmates, particularly biology class, sitting in the gym at noon and riding the bus with other kids from rural Herrin, Illinois. 

But I was really disappointed when Eddie couldn’t come.  He had some medical issues and wasn’t up to the trip.  So we kept the emails going, just kind of catching up.  I wrote about my Iris Garden (maybe I didn’t make it clear that it was a virtual thing, a blog).  So he went out in his yard in the fall and thinned his irises, packed some bulbs in two large cloth bags with peat moss and tied them up in plastic.  I had plans to drive north in the fall and maybe catch a lunch date with him.  But the weather got really bad and winter bore down upon us in an unusually ferocious blow.  I didn’t get to go anywhere. 

Come Spring, I got another email and Eddie says he came to Southern Illinois to visit family and left some iris bulbs for me at his brother’s (Adam) farm.  Truthfully, I’m delighted.  But, I live in an apartment complex where the woods used to be in Bandyville.  And permission for planting an iris garden wasn’t included in the lease.  So what am I to do?  I want those bulbs.  Eddie describes a tall yellow iris that will grow up to five blossoms on one stem.  He sent me a picture of his iris garden.  Wow!  Did I say I love irises?

Photo of Eddie’s Irises in South St. Louis.

What’s a girl to do?  And it was going to be my birthday in about a week.  Frankly, I could not imagine a better birthday present.  So, Yes, I’m going after those iris bulbs.  They’re mine.  Eddie grew them.  They are Irises!  And I’m going to have them.

So I drove up to the farm. 

http://www.royaltonillinois.com/capogrecofarms.html

Eddie’s sister-in-law, Lois, was one of the older girls when I started Bandyville Grade School at age six.  She remembered me and we visited for about two hours. I used to have a silly school girl crush on her younger brother, Jimmy.  I got to meet Adam and Lois's daughter, Deanna, while I was there.  I loved being out on the farm, vast fields freshly plowed and planted and even corn about 3 inches high.  Beautiful!  God’s country!  So Adam loaded the bulbs in my van and I drove them back to Bandyville.

That's the Iris Lover right in front of the sign.  

Three seats back is that cute Jimmy.  

Lots of other friends there.  

Mrs. Alma Sanders our teacher.

BANDYVILLE SCHOOL

http://bandyvilleschool.com/Photos.html

What to do with them?  My friend Clara’s husband, Lawrence and another gardening expert, Phil, both said I could grow them in pots on my patio.  Doubtful, I thought, as I’d never heard of growing irises in a pot.  But, hey, that sounded good to me. 

 

 

So, some of the bulbs went to Fudgetown to Lawrence and Clara’s.  He planted them at the end of their driveway (where I can always see them when I visit) and started a new garden out back.  Phil came over and helped me with bags of dirt etc.  We had a great time planting my patio stuff.  He planted the iris bulbs randomly in several of the pots. 

 

 Alias, Tameroa, Native American descendant, Cherokee Tribe.

(We just call him Phil.)

 

Phil took some home to Stucker Lane in Energy.  He plans to plant some in the yard of Mrs. Marguerite Rodney, recently turned 100 years old and living independently in her home place on Stotlar Rd.  Incidentally, Marguerite taught at Bandyville and was actually Eddie’s teacher at Sunnyside Grade School.

 

Mrs. Rodney and Waldene Hock Rice (our cook)

(Photo per the Bandyville Reunion Yearbook)

What a small world!  So now I have two Iris Gardens.  And I just love it!

 

So the ‘Other Iris Garden’ was planted on May 17, 2014. 
Just five days after my birthday.  

Cool, huh?

 

May 28, 2014 The First Sprouts.

 

 And they’re growing in Fudgetown, in Energy

and right here at home in Bandyville,

near the Bandy home place where I actually

had my first very own iris garden. 

Words are tools we use to paint a picture of our thoughts or feelings. 

But sometimes words are like seeds. 

Sometimes words can grow into things that are bigger

and better than the printed page or a fancy speech. 

And I think that’s what happened with Doris Ann’s Iris Garden,

a simple blog, with some pretty words, like “iris” and “garden”

and “special friends” who come to see what’s “growing today.” 

And other "special friends" who are actually ready

to provide

and

help with the planting. 

Hmmm. 

 

Okay! 

 

Eventually, I’ll have photographs of Eddie’s yellow irises blooming, 

that are really growing 

in Doris Ann’s Iris Garden
on the blog.

Copyright – 2014 – Doris Grant Frey

Through the eyes of an Iris Lover:

JUST A SMILE!

(HerrinFesta 2012)

     I was there for the parade. Around me were kids, babies in strollers, parents, workers from the rides, older Herrinites and a group from one of the shelter homes. When the cannon on the Bar-B-Q float shot out the multi-colored curled confetti and bright shiny streamers, there were expressions of surprise and happiness on all those faces.  It was truly priceless! And I thought it was pretty, too.

     I love to get a group connected and exchanging in a fun way.  So, sometimes, I do really silly stuff.  Like on Saturday, May 26, about 11 am, it was a bright sunny day and pretty warm in Herrin, Illinois.  I drove my scooter past the giant slide.  (Oh, it looked like fun to me.)  I scootered across the parking lot to the west side of Park Avenue.  Near the rail road tracks and just south of Cherry St. intersection I find a small tree, a spot of shade, a big panel truck parked just to the south and a nice western breeze.  

     A nice young couple lounging in their lawn chairs under the tree.  Two young boys, say 10-12 years old, sitting on the curb, obviously tired, bored and waiting for the parade.  Mom says they’re from Carterville.  Thought the parade started at 10, so they had walked around.  None of the rides were going yet, so they’ve been camped out here for an hour.  

I smile and ask if I can share their shade.  Mom’s very nice.  Says, “Sure.”  Boys are checking out my scooter.  Dad’s buried in some modern technological marvel for texting.  (There’s so many of them these days it’s hard to tell what type he’s using.)  Anyway, I park, turn the key off.  Start talking to Mom and the boys, Sean and Kyle.  Sean’s their kid.  Taller, Kyle’s a neighbor.   They’re friendly, sort of amused.  I know.  I’m amusing.  I’m ‘kinda’ like that.

A rather tall, dark headed guy comes over, leans on the rear of the truck.  I turn around, smile, and say, “Well, there’s a charge if you’re ‘gonna’ share our shade.”  The boys are watching.  Mom looks up.  Dad glances, too.  Then he’s back to the text machine, (or it might be games, not sure.)  So Tall Guy, looks at me, perplexed, both hands in his pockets, not sure what to say.  (I realize he doesn’t know I’m kidding.  He’s not catching on.  But stay with me.  This guy has some very redeeming qualities.)  So I quickly add, “But it’s easy pay.  All you have to give us is just a smile.”  He puts on a glowing smile.  “Ok, you’re in, all paid up.”  The boys look quizzical, but approving.  For sure, cause they both smiled.  Tall Guy, with a slight lisp, slow speech, tells us that he works for the carnival, runs one of the rides.  He’s cool.  Said he’s from Kentucky, I think.

Next newcomers are a young mother back-packing a little girl child in a chair sling and pushing a little boy, older, in a stroller.  She’s beautiful and the kids are both cute as buttons, both blonde with blue eyes.  Ok, so Sean and Kyle are watching me now.  

Not to disappoint them, I turn to New Mom and say, “Need to let you know there’s a charge if you ‘wanna’ share our shade.”  Sean and Kyle are with me now.   But I don’t know.  They might just be waiting to see if the price is the same or something new.  Or what’s the crazy old scooter lady going to do next?

     So New Mom (sharp girl) says, “Well, OK, how much?”  So I say, “Easy pay.  Just a smile.  B - u - t we’re ‘gonna’ need one each from all three of you.”  I’m treading water here because Stroller Boy looks very, very unhappy.  Big frown, creases in his forehead and chin tucked-in, tight lips. Yes, very unhappy.  So New Mom, she smiles big.  I look at Little Girl Child and she’s blank.  But New Mom and I soon coax her into the sweetest little smile.  “Okay, two paid up, one to go.”

     Then I start working on Stroller Boy.  He’s not giving.  No, not an inth of an inch.  I’m pushing a little, thinking, if I see a tear, I’ll just make a really sweet deal and give him a ‘free pass.’  No, he’s not giving.  He is not giving anything, much less just a smile.

Suddenly, Tall Guy steps forward and smiles.  

He tells us slowly, “Ith -  O--K, -  I – pay -  for - him.”  Big – huge - smile!  

Everyone is watching.  

Everyone is silent.  

(And there’s no texting…)  

Me, I’m totally awestruck.  Takes me a minute to respond.  (Imagine that!)  

“Well, - Ok - then, -  he’s in!   We – are – all – paid – up.”  

Cool, huh?  I thought so.  And it’s a true story, too.  Made my day! It was better than all the sirens, all the bands, all the floats, all the dancers and the marchers, all the beautiful queens, the Shriner’s cars, all the confetti and streamers and better than the funnel cake.  It was just a smile.  And you know what?  Sometimes ‘silly stuff’ really works.  Now, my question to you, “Does this story remind you of anything?”

(Copyright  -  2012  -  Doris Ann Frey)

Summer Is Here!

It's the end of April and tomorrow is May 1. 

It's official.  Summer has arrived. 

I drove to Carbondale today and the purple iris is in full bloom. 

I love purple irises and every other color too.

 

 

April is National Poetry Month and

I was privileged to have my poem Ocean's Child

on display at the Carbondale Public Library. 

Here's the proof. 

 

I not very experienced at taking a 'selfie'. 

So I had given up on a photo of me with my Ocean's Child. 

I was just closing up the camera when this adorable young man walked by. 

(Dark curly brown hair, beautiful brown eyes, great smile. . . )

He glanced my way, so I said, "Are you any good at this?" (holding out the camera) 

 

He said, "Well, yes, I think I am." 

So I explained what I wanted. 

He took the camera and I posed by my Ocean's Child. 

He aimed and repositioned and took the shot. 

Then he decided to take another.  And he did. 

 

I said, "You look like a professional doing that." 

And he (smiling) said, "I am a professional amateur photographer." 

I said, "Thanks." 

His name is Danny. 

He's going to be a very handsome man. 

Here's his work.

 

 

And the second one:  What do you think? 

I think the next generation is going to be phenomenal,

amateur or professional!

 

 

 

Happy Summer!

 

Hope you see lots of irises!

 

Copyright - 2014 - Doris Grant Frey

APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

     I’ve been writing poetry since grade school.  I have some that are pretty silly and some that have actually placed in competition.  I belong to the Illinois State Poetry Society.  The Southern Chapter meets monthly at the Carbondale Public Library.  I have one self-published chapbook of poems titled “Seasons.”  I’ve had a few poems published in other volumes.  

     My poem “Circus World” received a second honorable mention in the category for formal verse in the 2013 ISPS annual poetry contest.

Copyright - 2012 - Doris Grant Frey

     As you are reading this, if it’s prior to September 2014, I have a poem on board the MAVEN rocket ship headed to Mars.  It is a Haiku poem about the space trip, titled ‘Martian Treasures.’  The Maven launched November 2013.

     For National Poetry Month, April 2014, I have one poem, ”Henry the Great”, in a library display by ISPS at the libraries in Glenview, Winnetka and Westmont, Illinois.  The submission was for an animal poem.  So, yes, it is about a cat.  

                HENRY THE GREAT

Henry sits up on the window sill

An arduous student of the great outdoors,

From whence he came at four weeks old,

Toothless yet,

Seeking a home and love,

Which both he found in a yellow house

With a devoted father

Who has taught him how to fight

And play mean and survive,

And a doting mother who has tried

To force an adult discipline

On a juvenile tom cat.

But seeing that he wanted food and water

And love,

And deigned himself worthy

Of sleeping on the bed

At the head no less,

We have taken him into our hearts

And made him into the indoor cat,

Clawless, gender removed idol

Of our affections.

Far be it from me to understand

How he can continue to show such a wild strain

That desires to sniff out the attic dark,

And hide in closets and under beds,

And sit on window sills,

And bound through open doors

All in the hope of making

The Great Escape

Into the Great Outdoors.

Copyright - 1983 - Doris Grant Frey

     Another  display is at the Carbondale Public Library.  The submission was just for a small poem, so I submitted “Ocean’s Child.”  It is on display through April with others by poets in the Southern Chapter.

Ocean’s Child

A tiny drop of salt water,

rests for a moment.

Sparkling,

on the crest

of a giant splashing wave.

Before it becomes,

once again,

lost,

diluted

in the foaming brine.

Copyright – 2013 – Doris Grant Frey

I hope you can appreciate poetry, 

someone's thoughts, ideas, 

words on a line, 

that may or may not rhyme.  

Just an old poet trying 

to share a good time.

April Blog The Iris Garden 2014

Copyright - 2014 - Doris Grant Frey

Valentine's Day 2014

     When it comes Valentine's Day, I expect a beautiful card, flowers and a huge heart shaped box of chocolates. 
     Yes, I was deliberately spoiled, perfectly spoiled by a handsome red head.  I think he probably got first pick when the vendors brought in the Valentines and the chocolates at Herrin Walmart. 
     I know he always had the most beautiful cards, graphics and verse.  I know this because he did it faithfully for 21 years in a row without fail. 

So this year my valentine is for him.  That red headed cowboy, Gary Frey !

 

 

Copyright - 2014 - Doris Grant Frey

God’s Puzzle!

 

Who doesn’t love a puzzle?  I saw one today that God created.  Well, it seemed like a puzzle.  I took a drive through the refuge this afternoon.  I was hoping to see an eagle.  But I was amazed at the scene He drew before me

                I was driving slowing past a small hill covered with frozen brown foliage, bare trees and bushes, lots of fallen leaves.  I noticed a tiny wisp of white back in the bushes.  I slowed to a complete stop and watched.  When the wisp of white moved, I saw the deer, an adult sized doe.  As she took only one step towards me, an amazing thing happened.  Almost immediately, I could see the other four.  An ear jerked, a white tail twitched, another’s leg moved.  It was like they had appeared from thin air.  I carefully scanned the rest of the area, thinking there could be more.  But that was it, the five.  They were not troubled by my van/presence.  They munched slowly and diligently among the leaves and occasionally one or another would look my way.

                I watched a long time, undisturbed by any other vehicle.  An amazing slow motion picture show before my eyes on a cold January afternoon.  As I gently pulled away, the deer seemed not to notice.  I glanced at the dash, 4:35 pm and 27 degrees.  Well then, I could go home.  I’d found His blessing for January 24, 2014.  Or rather it found me.  Wow, who doesn’t love a puzzle?

 

Copyright - 2014 - Doris Grant Frey