Harvest-Home

On this Thanksgiving Weekend, Isabel often thinks of her Scottish & English friends and family and their traditions of Harvest-Home. Honouring the gathering-in; joining family and friends; sharing produce with others. Just as we do in Canada.

"Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home."

- "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Gratitude again and again for family and friends; caregivers and visitors; and letter-writers and callers.

And all who make community and extend the circle in so many ways.

Happy Thanksgiving!

When one door closes.....

During the last 3 years, many of you have commented on Isabel's visits to the Regina Floral Conservatory ~ that wonderful tropical paradise in the midst of north Regina. Early this autumn, Isabel discovered its equal in the Qu'Appelle Valley at the home of her friends, Sydna and Phillip in Fort Qu'Appelle.

Their creativity and hard work has turned a large pie-shaped lot into a place of wonder. Sydna has carefully nurtured plants from her native west coast to survive Saskatchewan's colder climate. The greenhouse grows large melons; strawberries tip over the edges of deck pots; the deckside herb garden fragrants the air; lilies of exquisite colours bloom throughout the summer.

Sydna shares her secret for making cut lilies last longer. Remove the pistil.

As we moved throughout the garden, Sydna dropped herbs and blossoms on Isabel's letter-board on Mum's lap so she could enjoy the whiffs of summer.

As Isabel leaves after her hour+ visit, Sydna invites her back to see her spring bulbs in May. As she got into the car, Sydna filled Mum's arms with gladioli ~ coral, royal purple, brilliant red, lemon, burgundy ~ for her room at the BICC.

When Mum left Regina, she knew that she may not visit the Floral Conservatory again.

A new garden of wonder has become available.

When one door closes, another opens.

Paying One's Dues

Last Wednesday, Isabel had opportunity to once again attend the monthly Aber Seniors' Meeting on Main Street, Abernethy. We kidded her that she could just walk though the door as she had kept up her annual membership since moving to Regina 4 years ago.

So she did just that. Isabel walked up the steps and through the door to take her place at the table to vote on motions, share in conversation with old friends, and celebrate former neighbour Harry's 95th birthday with live music. Thanks Larry & Marj. Your musical presence has graced Wascana for nearly four years (and continues to do so). AND it is wonderful for Mum to hear you back in Abernethy as well. And at the BICC the day before that!

This opportunity for Isabel to re-engage with some former Abernethy community activities while living at the BICC was beyond our imagination a year ago!

Hanging Out in the Field

Oh, bliss!

Chaff in the hair.....sun and dust in the eyes....the smell of ripened grain everywhere.

Isabel had opportunity to be in the field chatting with the family operators, inspecting unshelled heads, and watching the grain augured into the bin.

There's her wave from the passenger seat.

Home again!

Bottling Summer

It is nearly 3 months since Isabel moved to the BICC. The time has flown; most nursing and therapy plans are in place; Isabel's Visitors' Book contains the names of new and old friends; and Isabel has frequently "signed out".

"Signed out" means "outings" away from her new home, and these outings have averaged 3 per week this last month ~ the valley, farms & a ranch, a coffee party in Abernethy, drives to see crops and combining. The summer has been long and hot and the opportunities to be out and about have been many.

One day in late August, Isabel and several friends who live at the BICC had two tea times discussing "preserving the garden". Varieties of pickles and preserves; canning pork and chicken; boiling sealers of peaches and plums; freezing rhubarb and blanching peas. The easiest and best methods of each were discussed at length including how technique changed over the decades.

These conversations included the many ways we bottle summer colours and flavours for the long winter months ahead.

Drives in the country on a summer day with a light sweater thrown around the shoulders are like "bottling summer" for the long winter days ahead.

But first, harvest and autumn and more sunny days to come. Bring on the sign-out sheet!

Strength for Today & Hope for Tomorrow

Isabel's West Nile Survivor friends have a common inspirational motto that has sustained them during these last four years:

"Strength for today and hope for tomorrow".

Today, "four years of Sundays" after the last time Isabel went to Knox United Church in Abernethy, she was delighted to find herself back in the sanctuary amid the beautiful stained glass and familiar faces once again.

Much to the surprise of Isabel and her driver, we discovered that the first hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness, contains the words "Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow" which told us the origin of the familiar West Nile Survivors' motto.

Isabel sat in her portable wheelchair. "Your comfortable pew!" quipped an old friend mimicking a book about church-goers written decades ago.

Isabel responded: "It's great to be here. I never imagined I would be here again except in a 6 foot box!!!"

Gratitude again.

Great is thy faithfulness, God our Creator,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not,

as thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see,

All I have needed thy hand hath provided

Great is thy faithfulness, ever to me.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Pardon for sin and and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Wondrous the portion thy blessings provide.

- T Chisholm (lyrics) and W Runyan (music) in Voices United #288

Four Years Later

August 7, 2007 (Four years ago)

The entry in Isabel's diary tells of her waking with an upset stomach and not feeling "quite right". She and her friend, Clayton, rehung the door on Foster School following an act of vandalism.

That was Isabel's last entry. Each day thereafter she became increasingly ill until five days later entered the Intensive Care Unit of the Regina General Hospital.

Four years! Where have they gone? Months and months of dogged determination to fight back to health; weeks then months of being unable to move any part of her body on her own other than her eyes; months and years of letters, phone calls and visits from friends; training well over 100 nurses how to care for her daily needs; gratitude to family and friends and therapists and other medical staff who never gave up.

And now back on "my own home territory" (Isabel's words) to enjoy a summer on the prairie....wild flowers and garden bouquets in her room....walks outside with a nurse before 8 AM each day......drives in the country.....pop-in visits from family and friends.

Deep gratitude, again and again.