Things Bright and Shining Light

~ rabbitpatchdiary.com

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On Thursday night, I saw the stars over the rabbit patch.  I had not seen them, due to clouds, for the better part of a week.  I had missed the silver belt of Orion-and the friendly Dog Stars.  I was glad to see the Big Dipper and the little one too as I had missed them all.  When thick clouds were hovering over the old barn and the old trees, I tried to remember just where my old friends had been “set in the firmament, to give light to the earth”.

I also packed on Thursday night.  Loyal readers of the “Rabbit Patch Diary”  know where I was going . . .back across three rivers, past fields and autumn flowers . . to another rabbit patch,  Elizabeth City.  Friday was a teacher work day and so in my absence, children would not  miss violin classes.  It made good sense to me to pack my bags and spend a few days with , my only grandchild, Lyla.  

I attended the “early service” this morning, in Jennys’ backyard.  Daybreak was chilly enough to warrant a light jacket.  The air was crisp and carried the scent of pine straw.  The sun came up with a shocking brilliance, and when it did, I thought I heard the earth singing.  A young redbird watched from the cedar tree.  Lyla and I saw him yesterday in the evening.  If I see him again, I am likely to give him a name.

Lyla attends nursery school, now on Thursday and Friday mornings.  I was never fond of this idea, but tried to still my tongue-and hoped for the best.  Childhood is so fleeting and I think it ought to be spent playing.  I had no worries that Lyla could not learn her colors and counting, in the natural settings of home.  Not even the aspect of  the highly valued “socialization” swayed my thought.  Well, the more Jenny told me about what was happening at the “First United Methodist Church” , the more I liked it.  Lyla loved it from day one.  Only a few times in the very beginning, did Lyla shed a tear.  On those occasions, the teacher sent a picture of Lyla playing happily, within minutes.  I especially loved that.  There also does not seem to be  “an intense academically driven force’ present.  All of this, hushed my trepidation, but when Lyla ran to hug her teacher, one morning . . I fell “hook, line and sinker” for the darling “Ladybug class” at the beautiful church, in Elizabeth City.  Today, I saw for myself and so now I can say with all of my heart, I am glad, for such places.

After lunch, Lyla and I strolled to the laughing river-which today seemed merely tickled.   It felt sinful to stay inside.  We sat for a while in silence.  I did not allow myself to think of anything.  I just watched the river meander by.  I watched light playing on the water, like a happy child and I watched the thin clouds that reminded me of old  fashioned lace.  I have no way of knowing how long we sat in that state as time is not  measured under such conditions . . but at some point, Lyla was liberated from  the confinement of her stroller.  She found a yellow leaf and then watched a butterfly.  She walked the railway ties for a long while.  The ties are there to mark the parking area and for quite a distance.  The ties are not balanced well and are of varying heights.  In some places the wood has deteriorated and huge pieces of  wood are missing.  It was a good balancing practice for a toddler and I offered little help, because of that.

We spent the latter part of the afternoon on the porch dancing.  I teach a semester of dance-and so I know lots of kids songs to dance to.  I am not sure what folks thought as they walked or drove past the stately “Thompson Home”  that afternoon.  If they thought “the country has come to town”, they wouldn’t be far off.

When Lyla curled up on the settee in a patch of sunlight, we turned off the music.  I turned my attention from the “Cha Cha Slide”, to the kitchen.  We had a light supper. Lyla was barely awake when the moon came up.  Like the sun in the morning, the moon was bright  and fairly lit the backyard, though it was only half full.

Today was a lovely as any, and I did not regret for one moment, taking a day off from work, to spend my time with family.  Anne of Green Gables said “I am so glad to live in a world where there are Octobers.”  I am in full agreement . . .and the same could be said of September.

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44 thoughts on “Things Bright and Shining Light”

  5. What a beautiful granddaughter Lyla is, and I am sure she is enchanting. As a grandmother, I know how you feel when we have the joy of spending time with the little ones. For me, they are my legacy to the world. I might not be around to see them all graduate university, work, marry and have children of their own, but I am happy to know I will be a part of it, and if they look up at the stars in wonderment I’ll be twinkling down at them.
    I love your posts and I am sorry I have missed a few of them due to Irma, but now that my internet is working again I can visit you at the Rabbit Patch once again. Hugs. xo

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    1. Welcome back-and I am sorry you had to through “Irma”. Funny, I was just thinking that the sweetest gift one could leave the world are those, after you. Maybe Lyla will teach her children to seek the beauty of this world. It is a nice and comforting thought. Thank you for leaving me your kind words. love, Michele

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  8. Our young do seem to go out into the world earlier and earlier. We just have to have faith they are where they need to be. Your special days and weekends are a treasure that will carry you for years to come.

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  10. Michele I can’t help but wonder if you make a list or a wish [maybe both] to have all these wonderful goings on happening there at the Cabbage Patch and beyond. I still think I need to pack a bag, and come see for myself.

    Lovely lovely lovely. And I also agree with Anne!!!

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  12. What a brilliant idea to send a photo of a child playing happily in preschool if the child had cried when her mother left! I always enjoy reading of your time with Lyla. We’ve had years and years with our grandsons, and spending time with them never gets old.

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  14. Lyla will be happy for these photos later in her life. I have one photo of me leaving for school on the first day of first grade, and seeing it brings it all back in a flash.

    I was happy to see a mention of Orion, too. It’s one of the first constellations I learned, but that was farther north. Now, I have to wait for mid-winter for it to appear, low on our Texas horizon. It’s one more reason to enjoy the turning of the year.

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    1. I thought to myself, this is an important memory. I am sure glad I had the chance to see for myself how nice it really was, I love the sky any time of day-but the winter is best for constellations, thank you and I will think of you when I am star gazing-and especially when I see Orion.

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  16. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
    Rabbit, my wonderful friend, you really are made of beautiful, and you keep me reading from one word to the next because you write the beautiful beautifully.

    Thank you Rabbit for a truly beautiful post. I totally adore Lyla, and my wish for her is that she ends up with the ‘beautiful spark’ which you have and carry around inside you.
    Sending squidges ~ Cobs. xxx 🌷 🌷 🌷

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    1. thank you precious one! You never fail to cheer me on. It means everything to have you in my life-we really ought to meet one day-in real life-isn’t that a sweet wish? To say you adore Lyla, well that is the icing on my cake. thank you my dear friend-love over the moon for you! your rabbit!!

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      1. Aww Rabbit, how can one not love little Lyla. She has such character and because she has the wonderment of being able to spend so much time with her Grandma, she’s learning about the magic of nature; and how The Lord blesses us every moment of every day with things that others can sometimes take for granted and simply don’t see.
        Lyla will grow up seeing those things because as the tiny person she is right now, she’s learned to see these things through your eyes … but it starting to see them through her own and these things will grow in value to her as she herself grows.

        So … thank you Rabbit, for helping to grow a beautiful child who will grow into being a beautiful adult. It’s one of the greatest gifts available to us.
        Love you Rabbit. A whole lot.
        May God bless and keep you, and may you have a blessed and beautiful Thursday. ~ Cobs. xxx

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      2. You couldn’t have said things more dear to me. Oh I hope all of this for Lyla! and every child after her. I had a wonderful childhood that allowed me the freedom to become friends with this beautiful world-It has made the difference and I want the same for Lyla. She is very willing to learn-thank you from my heart for caring about me and my family. You are one special cookie!! love your rabbit

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  17. “We sat for a while in silence. I did not allow myself to think of anything. I just watched the river meander by. I watched light playing on the water, like a happy child and I watched the thin clouds that reminded me of old fashioned lace.” Michele, I absolutely love this. YES. So important to just BE. And with your little granddaughter is extra precious. ❤ Amy

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  19. Hello Michelle…I certainly loved hearing about your visit in Elizabeth City…especially visiting the First Methodist Day School. I taught four year olds for 10 years at First Presbyterian Day School in Fort Worth…we joined the church shortly after we married. Our children attended the Day School and I loved watching them playing on the playground outside my classroom window! After that, I taught the same age at a First Methodist Day School closer to our suburb. Our children were in elementary school by that time. Later, I started my public school teaching career at Title I schools in impoverished and high crime areas…what a rewarding and joy filled experience! I love it that Lyla is attending a sweet Methodist school and I loved seeing the picture of you with Lyla and the other pictures!!! I simply adored the grandparents of the children in all of my classes!!!!

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    1. I have decided one day, I might want to teach preschool again. I used to, but for 17 years have been at a sweet Montessori Charter School. I home schooled my own children til they were in 6th grade. I LOVED that time. thank you and best wishes for a lovely October!

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      1. Hi Michelle! I have nominated you for the Seven Day Seven BW Photo Challenge…the instructions are on my latest post. I had fun finding pictures on my phone and simply changing them to BW (just for the challenge).
        I loved teaching at the day school at our church and then at the Methodist church. Public school was an eye opener…that is for sure! Lots more paperwork!
        I imagine that you would be a wonderful and loving preschool teacher…just think how fun it would be to teach children Lyla’s age again! The wonder and the excitement is so contagious!
        How admirable for you to home school!! I have a friend that I taught with (much younger than me!) who now has four little children and she is home schooling! I love it when she posts things on Facebook of their activities! She taught third grade when we were at the same school and was the best teacher you can imagine. She was just a few years out of college then and just married! She loves being home with the children and guiding them!!

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