03/27/2025
Whines Wines and Canines
Glimpses and Smiles
A few days ago, I came across a car pulled to the side of one of our narrow country roads. I thought at first that maybe they had car trouble and prepared to stop to offer help if needed. It was a family that had pulled over to show their kids a flock of turkeys. A proud Tom showing his plumage and beard. Several hens just being turkeys in a stubble field. It made me smile. As I drove on I thought about how I had smiled and always do when I see turkeys and how those children would forever see them with smiles and wonder. How blessed I was to have parents that gave me a lifetime of smiles as I catch sight of so many ordinary wondrous things. Glimpses as I pass and a smile all day.
I remember the many trips to South Bend from our small, just on the border, Michigan town. Those trips to see grandparents, often took longer than they needed to. My mother taking a winding road to see the red bud and dog wood blooming. My father slowing down as we passed a dairy farm to look at the cows. Every time he would recite “ I’ve never seen a purple cow and I never hope to see one. But I can tell you here and now I’d rather see than be one!” My mother answering with “ Oh friendly cow of red and white, I love with all my heart. She gives me cream with all her might to eat with apple tart “. One time we passed and there was a Purple Cow! My father explained it was probably a medicine like gention violet. But us kids forever looked and believed in purple cows and I recite both poems when I spot a bovine. A glimpse and a smile. One day my father pulled over to show as a carpet of trillium spread out under trees that were just starting to bud. The white flowers glowing like stars. My dad walking us up to the edge telling us not to touch but just look. “ See the three petals?” “ and look a leaf between each petal?” They are called trillium for 3. Don’t touch they are very special and getting rare,”. My mother’s soft gasp. “ kids come here and look.” At her feet a small patch of Lady Slippers, a beautiful dainty orchid. Tiny and delicate it is hard to spot but so lovely. We sat there and gazed at the beauty for quite a while before we had to climb back into the car and head on to the grandparents. Every now and then over the years I have spotted a bit of trillium and it still makes me pause in wonder and smile.
My parents filled our lives with wondrous observations as we drove or walked. “ Look at the cat tails!” They would exclaim. We drove to look at Holloween decorations and Christmas lights. Sometimes I would catch a glimpse through a window of someone’s special tree and smile at the one in our window. “ Hurry come sit on the curb” my mom would herd us outside, to enjoy the local high school marching band coming by, practicing for Blossom Parade. “ Do you hear the fog horn?” Oh yes that deep and sonorous call. “ There is a boat coming in, tomorrow we will go see !” “ Hear the whistle ?” “ the train at House of David is running , let’s go see it and get ice cream!”
Many of my childhood sights and sounds no longer exist but oh I still catch wondrous glimpses and find many smiles. “ Hear the peeper frogs hon”? I ask my husband. Oh the whippoorwill is back! We travel a slightly out of the way road to see the goats and the guardian Great Pyrenees. “ Are the pyrs out? We ask each other , slowing a bit to see. We smile when we see the shaggy white guards laying in repose. We don’t linger as we have noticed our very doggy smelling van tends to rouse them and they will stand and glare at us. We don’t wish to appear as any sort of threat. But every time we look and we smile.
On Monday nights we pass a small business tucked into the k***s , a bit out of the way. As we pass it coming home from giving a dog training class we have started peering into the window. Because on Monday nights a small band practices there. The smiles of the players and the sound of the guitars and drums makes us smile. “ do you think they are practicing tonight?” We ask and look hopefully. Just a glimpse and a smile. Maybe some day we will see them play! Spring is a time to observe the wonder around us as we fly by, hurried by jobs and tasks waiting. But don’t rush too much. Look for the smiles. Daffodils , and red buds, turtles crossing the road that may need a life saving lift across ( a guaranteed smile as I reassure the terrapin that I mean no harm). Bird song and horses losing their shaggy winter coats. Cat tails in unexpected places. A band practicing. Look for the smiles, however brief the glimpse, the smile will get you through the day.
