Silence on the Land - Part Five
Posted: Tuesday, August 17, 2010
by Richard Radtke
http://www.cottagebythelane.com
"Suddenly what had been a desolate snow covered place was transformed to a place filled with life, with colors. Where yesterday a tree had stood with skeletal limbs today its limbs were bursting with leaves opening in the warming sun. Green grass filled the land, and flowers burst forth, their scent heavy on the wind. You knew then that it was a change, one that had happened for thousands of years, one that the sun had seen each time. But it was one that you were destined to see so few times in the great scheme of things, It was spring "
"Elements"
The late afternoon sun hung in the sky, its light spilling on the land below. In the heat of the waning day a breeze gently pushed across the land, swaying the corn in the fields as it passed. In the heights a hawk circled lazily above the river that lay hidden behind the trees that grew tall at the end of the field. The shadows were growing long, stretching slowly across the land, as the sun slowly sunk lower in the sky. It was the end of a perfect day.
As the day slowly drew to a close Will sat back on the porch swing of the homeplace and watched. He had done this hundreds of times in the past and would; he was sure to it hundreds of times yet to come. But sometimes it seemed special, sometimes it was as if everything fell into place, life was as it should be. This was one of those times, the summer had been a long one, the spring had been wet, but the crops looked good in the fields this year, and he was here spending time with his family. As he looked over at his wife sitting there beside him on the swing, he smiled, idly wondered how it could be that life had treated him so well. But this was not the time to analyze this, it was just the time to enjoy it, and be thankful. Tomorrow would come soon enough and then it would be time then to get back to the land. This time is what mattered now, time with his family, and his sense of love and well being.
Will had always loved this place, had known from an early age that he loved the land, some said he was a lot like his Great Uncle Samuel in that respect. But he was also quiet like his dad; he did not have much to say. When he did they were words that were well chosen, and they came out slowly, surely and on point. He knew the meaning of a hard days work, and usually put one in. That was the way with the land, it demanded much, but it also, if so inclined rewarded much, but it was always a battle. It seemed as though the years the crops were good, the prices were low, and the crops were lacking, the prices were high, although that is how supply and demand worked. In the end though there was always plenty of food on the table, and most of the time money in the bank. It was a good life out here, a life he loved and would never willingly give up.
As the sun rose in the morning sky, its golden rays fingering their way across the land. Will stood on the porch looking out upon the land; Seth was out there with him although he sat in a chair. They both had a cup of coffee in their hands, it had over time become a ritual for them to watch the new day dawn, and more often than not each morning you could find them here, watching as the covering veil of night was slowly pushed away by the golden touch of the sun. This was their time, sometimes nothing was said, sometimes there were many things said. If things were or were not said it did not matter, it was the time spent together that was special to each of them. When the sun finally was above the hills and the shadows were gone the quiet that had been the dawn disappeared in the day, Will with a nod to his father, set down his now empty cup and said, "Time to get at it, I guess, work to do." with that he went down the steps and headed off to the barn. Seth watched him go, remembered when it used to be him that made that walk each morning, a walk he did not make as often since Will had taken over the farm. He missed it, missed the feel of the earth in his hands, but he also knew his time doing it was over and done. Now it was Will's turn, and as he nodded to himself he thought that Will was doing a good job, as well as he had, better in fact, but he also thought, "That's what you work for, what you pray for, that your children have it better than you, and that they do better than you did", so in that Seth was content.
Will went into the barn, and once inside he paused for a moment just inside the doorway, turned and looked at his father sitting up on the porch. Will was worried about him, his dad just did not seem to have the strength he used to have, gone was the man who could work a full day in the fields and come home and work long into the night in the barn or house and still beat everyone up each morning ready for more. "I have never figured out how he did that all those years, God knows I can't." Will said to himself, he admired that about his dad, When something had to be done it was, but that was Seth's way. Will hoped that some day he could only measure the same. He stood a little while longer looking at his father through the doorway, not knowing that at this moment his father was thinking about Will and what a fine man he had become. They each had their own thoughts, their own secrets, and each admired the other in their own way, but that is how it should be between father and son.
The day moved on, Seth spent a good part of it on the front porch reading a book, now and again one of Will and Liz's young children would come up and talk to him about things that kids talk about, Seth now and again laid down his book and looked around to see if he could see Will in the distance on a tractor, or just to look off at the far horizon where as the day progressed black clouds began to gather in anticipation of a late summer storm.
The kids both played in the summer heat, by the creek, or in the yard. They were children and as such everyday mundane things became the greatest of things, the stack of hay by the barn, a castle that reached to untold heights, overlooking a vista of beauty far beyond what a mere adult would see there. The creek that ran by the house was a sea, tumultuous, and wild in its passage. The ships of leaves that they launched upon its surface facing the worst of storms as they quickly spun dizzily until they were finally out of sight. Jacob was the oldest of the two boys, eight this year, his birthday just past. Steven the youngest, six, but he was the bigger of the two, but not by much. Both were loved by their mom and dad, each one knew it. They also loved there their grandpa and grandma, Seth sometimes was in on their plans, their pranks, and a willing participant. The one they went to for this or that, he usually knew the answer and was happy to share it, like most grandparents are
Will and Liz were happy with their life together; they had known each other for years, grown up in the same area, her folks farmed just up the road. Their boys they adored and did their best for, all in all it was a happy life they shared. True, there were difficult times the land saw to that, but there were others things too that happened as things do, but nothing that they could not overcome together, and overcome they did. Much laughter was their companion, some tears, but most of all an abiding love for each other, a love that always warmed their hearts.
Part Five to an ongoing story
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Darn it, now I'm curious as to what happened previously and what will come in the future!GraceThey are all on here, but just to warn you this is the shortest one, sorry. Thanks for your comment.
Seeing that this is part of an ongoing tale made me think of times when writers first published their books in installments, and then later had them printed as books. Haven't seen you for a while, Richard, it's good to see you back :)
Nice episode Richard. I'll try reading the others, maybe I'll print them out and make myown book of your story.Good luck.
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