Queen Anne's Lace and Poppies

"The poppy opes her scarlet purse of dreams." - Iris
Scharmel

The Stickney drought ended yesterday. It poured the whole day. That was great for the people of Stickney though a little less great for us. Nonetheless, we had a good day driving through the countryside, looking at the small villages, stopping at the mill for lunch and walking through the old castle ruins. Do you remember when we were young, the abundance of Queen Anne's Lace in the fields and countryside? I don't recall seeing it so much anymore. But here, the countryside is a swath of white lace gloriously populated by brilliant red poppies. Simply beautiful.

In a couple of hours we will be leaving Stickney and heading to Diss. I'm dreading saying goodbye to Eric. Two short days have not been enough time after these years of absence. After dinner last night Merv and Eric poured over pictures of their childhood, sharing recollections of times long past. I think it is good for both of them. In a way, it seems to heal the hurt of some of their family disfunction. To know that they were both affected by the dozens of times they moved and changed schools. To speak of the pain of losing their sister. To remember some happy days playing together as small children.

Diss is the part of this trip that I am most anxious about. I will meet, and be judged by, the family members Merv hasn't seen for thirty years. This is the part of the trip that set me strictly on my diet forty three days ago. After all these years, Merv wants the family to see that he, the black sheep, did well. I want them to believe that he married well, at least this third time. Seeing Jacob will, at least, prove the excellence of this union.

The sun is trying to break through the clouds this morning. On to a new day.