TIP TOEING THRU CLOVER NOTABILIA

TIP TOEING THRU CLOVER NOTABILIA

Monday, June 05, 2017

Genesis [GW] 2:8-15  The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. That's where he put the man whom he had formed. The LORD God made all the trees grow out of the ground. These trees were nice to look at, and their fruit was good to eat. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil grew in the middle of the garden. A river flowed from Eden to water the garden. Outside the garden it divided into four rivers. The name of the first river is Pishon. This is the one that winds throughout Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is pure. Bdellium and onyx are also found there.) The name of the second river is Gihon. This is the one that winds throughout Sudan. The name of the third river is Tigris. This is the one that flows east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to farm the land and to take care of it.

  Something flitted by as I was weeding our cabbage patch. Then I saw the bee and was quite excited, though not as most would be. My memory was activated*.

  Our children were little people when Ann read SILENT SPRING, an environmental science book by Rachel Carson published in the autumn of 1962. Carlson documented the detrimental effects of the indiscriminate use of pesticides.

  Living as a little person circa 1950 in Dundalk, Maryland was wonderful. Brother Jim and I had many adventures exploring woods, creeks, swamps, old abandoned houses, boats, ships etc. Wildlife was part of the adventures, in our gang often involving “Double-dare ya!” One in particular was the challenge to attempt flying unwounded over the prolific white clover in lawn or field.

  Picture a large blooming bed buzzing with countless bees gathering nectar. At its border you a bravado 9 year old. Girls standing to the side watching and giggling. Meeting the dare of the older boys, you began removing your shoes and socks while giving sideways glances at the girls.

  Try as you may you couldn’t fly, but wouldn’t cry as the bees reacted to your weight.

  Though I’m normally barefoot these days I doubt if I step on any bees as they are sorely missing.

EBB4

*Devotional thoughts of thanking God for the true wealth of my life, rites of passage included.