TRUE STORY: (The names have been changed to protect the innocent)

I have a friend that told me this story of her lemon tree.  In this story is the essence of communication and miscommunication.

Jane, my friend,  goes out side and admires her lovely lemon tree she planted 8 years ago.  This day it is covered in beautiful lemons, maybe 60 or more.  She gentles picks several of the large yellow fruit; she’s going to make a lemon pie or use them the make some refreshing lemonade to enjoy in the California sun.

Jane’s neighbor, Mary, looks over the fence and comments on Jane’s abundance of lemons.  Jane says, “Yes, there are so many I don’t  think I’ll use them all.  Would you like some, help yourself, take what you need”

A few weeks later Jane notices she only has 10 lemons left on the tree.  She has not been using that many, one every couple of days.  She is slightly annoyed that her neighbor has taken so many.

After a few days later Jane is up early to head out for an appointment.  She looks out at her lemon tree and there are only four lemons left.  Four?  One is a large beautiful ripe lemon.  Jane thinks I’ll pick that one today for lemonade,

Jane returns home and her beautiful lemon is gone.  Jane is really annoyed now.  She doesn’t understand why Mary has taken nearly all the lemons off her tree.

A few days later Jane is at her neighbor’s home.  Bob, Mary’s husband, comments to Jane on how much Mary loves the lemons on her tree.  Jane thinks, “Well yes I loved them too… I didn’t think you’d use them all…”  Before she can finish her thought Bob says, “Yeah Mary has been using them to clean the garbage disposal.”  Then he comments on the citrus level and how really do a great job.

Needless to say Jane is furious!  She can hardly contain her outrage,  They were taking her beautiful, fresh, prized lemons and grinding them up in their garbage disposal!

The problem here is communication.  What Jane said and foresaw in her offer to Mary, was not the same thing that Mary heard and foresaw.  Jane also has different life experiences and standards than Mary has which lead to different expectations.

To Jane, these were her luscious prize lemons off a tree she had taken 8 years to cultivate.  They were fresh, large and luscious, wonderful in pies,  tea, lemonade.  What a treasure to go outside pick a fresh lemon and enjoy.  She was generous and kind and wanted to share with her neighbor.  Sure she said “take would you need,”  but she never thought Mary would pick the tree clean.  If that generous offer had been made to Jane she might take one or two, then check if it was still alright to use the lemons.  She didn’t really mean for Mary to take them all.

To Mary, they were just free lemons.  She did really need them for anything but she had heard they were good for garbage disposals.  Mary may have thought, there are so many, if I don’t use them they’ll just die off, Jane said “take what you need.”  So she took Jane’s treasure and threw them down the drain.

This story: a small issue in miscommunication.  The bigger picture… imagine how miscommunication and differences in expectations, morals, manners, rights, life issues, experiences, beliefs and values affect our lives.

To Jane’s credit she is not still angry at her neighbor.  However, she has reevaluated her words and using this a lesson to understand communication is a powerful thing and making ones intentions clear should not be overlooked.

March 12. 2011

Do you know the feeling of looking off in the distance and see a great fire moving your way, there is no way to stop it, you warn others this fire is coming and they tell you not to worry.  They tell you  that you’re worrying over things that can’t reach you.  Then one day you’re awaken at 6 AM and someone tells you look to outside the forest fire is at your door.  It is then you realize all you have is a water hose, really all you ever had was a water hose.  Sadly, it and everything else is sorely inadequate. 

10 June 2010

I got up this morning planning my day and the things I had to do; getting gas was the first thing.  As I drive around the corner from my house I see 50 people standing in the road… The road is flooded. It has in the past flooded in this place and after all it has been raining for 40 days and 40 nights!

I get closer and see it’s deeper and wider and extremely muddy and I’ve got to pick up my son from the hospital….what to do? I go home get DrB’s vehicle thinking I’ll take the Mainline (logging) road to get out.

I live at the end of a road and there is really only one way in unless they open Mainline when it floods. I asked someone if they know if the Mainline was open…. No, it’s not open, it’s washed out! I charge ahead through the muddy mess with DrB’s vehicle.  On the other side the county guys tell me a beaver dam washed out on the Mainline road.  A beaver dam?

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

The window washers came this morning and I took time to smell the roses!

The past few days I have seen in my yard; a small herd of female elk, Erkle (my pet elk), a deer with two fawns, the black bear on video in my trash :-), a wide variety of bunnies, and a family of raccoons.

I look out my clean windows to a gorgeous view of Mt Si and the cliffs are dotted with the mountain goats, there are eagles and hawks not to mention the Canadian geese, the robins, the stellar jays, the nuthatches and the black capped chickadees. There are herons in the marshes along the low areas.

Sunday we plucked two little frogs out of the pool and to be so small they sure have a loud song!

I drive 4 miles to the office and I pass pastures with horses, lamas, alpacas, cows with little calves, one pasture even has a group of Texas longhorns, I cross two branches of the Snoqualmie River and quite often I see the elk are crossing. As I drive past a large field of cows in the middle stands one lone coyote looking around…I don’t believe he could take any of them on!

All this surrounded by towering 70 ft douglas firs, cedars and evergreen trees. Blooming rhodies and azaleas, flowering plum trees full of pink blossoms and hundreds of tulips and daffodils…

and I say to myself… What a Wonderful World

Originally penned 28 July 2009

Today I was making cards from some notes I took down from above my Mother’s kitchen sink. The notes I removed were worn and tattered…probably had been there 20 years or more. I took down only two that I noticed while I washing dishes, they were just barely holding on by two pieces of dried cracked cellophane tape and the paper was brown and cracked with water marks where she, Mother, no doubt had straightened them out to read them as she washed dishes over the years.

I thought I’d bring them home and make two little printed cards with the verses she wrote, laminate them and send them back to her.

As I was making the cards, I was reminded of the notes that were always above the kitchen sink when I was a little girl washing dishes. Then one of the verses popped into my head, then another, then another… Below is a collection of those sayings/poems… When you get to the bottom at the Little Orphan Annie verse, it may become clear why I am afraid of the dark.

Southern Up-bringing, a little like southern religion, it invokes fire and brimstone and generally PUTS the fear of something into you!

Thank God for Dirty Dishes

author unknown

Thank God for Dirty Dishes,

They have a tale to tell.

While others are going hungry,

We are eating well.

With home and health and happiness,

I no cause to fuss.

For by this stack of evidence,

God’s been very good to us.

I LOVE YOU MOTHER

“I love you, Mother,” said little John. Then forgetting his work, his cap went on. And he was off to the garden swing, Leaving his Mother the wood to bring.

“I love you, Mother,” said little Nell. “I love you more than tongue can tell.” “Then she teased and pouted half the day, Till Mother rejoiced when she went to play.

“I love you, Mother,” said little Fan. “Today I’ll help you all I can.” To the cradle then she did softly creep, And rocked the baby till it fell asleep.

Then stepping softly, she took the broom, And swept the floor, and dusted the room.Busy and happy all day was she, Helpful and cheerful as child could be.

“I love you, Mother,” again they said. Three little children, going to bed. How do you think that Mother guessed Which of them really loved her best?

The Little Orphan Annie

James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphan Annie’s come to my house to stay. To wash the cups and saucers up and brush the crumbs away. To shoo the chickens from the porch and dust the hearth and sweep, and make the fire and bake the bread to earn her board and keep. While all us other children, when the supper things is done, we sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun, a listening to the witch tales that Annie tells about and the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!

Once there was a little boy who wouldn’t say his prayers, and when he went to bed at night away up stairs, his mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl, and when they turned the covers down, he wasn’t there at all! They searched him in the attic room and cubby hole and press and even up the chimney flu and every wheres, I guess, but all they ever found of him was just his pants and round-abouts and the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!!

Once there was a little girl who always laughed and grinned and made fun of everyone, of all her blood and kin, and once when there was company and old folks was there, she mocked them and she shocked them and said, she didn’t care. And just as she turned on her heels and to go and run and hide, there was two great big black things a standing by her side. They snatched her through the ceiling fore she knew what shes about, and the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!!

When the night is dark and scary, and the moon is full and creatures are a flying and the wind goes Whoooooooooo, you better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear, and cherish them that loves ya, and dry the orphans tears and help the poor and needy ones that cluster all about, or the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!!!

OH MY, I think I’ll be good today!!