It was a Good Friday | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Please join me in welcoming Author Michele Rhem, who presents us with her poignant mémoires of the Rabbit Patch, where her diaries weave tales of a simpler, expressive life lost to many, but gathered together in her most familiar environs - the Rabbit Patch.

    Friday Morning

    Friday morning dawned with crisp air that snapped with song birds calling out to one another. The squirrels were as diligent as ever about their work and I watched them a while. The sunlight was golden and so was everywhere it fell.

    After breakfast, Lyla and I donned sweaters and took off on a stroll. This is a habit of ours and we walk no matter the weather-but todays' climate was as perfect as it could be. The sidewalk is laced with sun and shade. Autumn flowers bloom in the yards and the dogwoods are decked out with red berries and auburn leaves. Some of the streets remain slightly flooded so we abandon our familiar route. We have several new friends because of this. Some of them are cats. Some are trees.

    In the Afternoon

    Lyla barely napped in the afternoon. Jenny had to write a paper and she is still unpacking. I caught up on some reading while Lyla poured things out and picked them up again. The afternoon was too glorious not to be out, so Lyla and I walked again, for a good length of time. I followed the sidewalk down little unknown streets. I so love the traditional picket fences and many of the cottage-like houses had them. Periwinkles that look so delicate, adorned the fences profusely, having braved a hurricane and the brisk autumn air. If all goes well, periwinkles reseed and I mean to plant some next year.

    I found a new route to the laughing river and so we strolled for at least a portion of the way as we used to. I was glad to see that the homes were not damaged though an ancient oak had fallen. It saddened me terribly. The trunk was as large as a dining room table. I suspect a good many critters called it home. I love trees and consider them about as important as the house on a property. I do hope to always have an old tree growing wherever I call home. I am thankful for the hand that plants a tree.

    Before it was dark...

    Jenny had an errand to run downtown. Elizabeth City has an old-fashioned book store that sells mainly books. Not toys and clothing to mimic a cartoon character as some are in the practice of doing. Of course, I love this place thoroughly. On this day it was closed, as many businesses still are, due to the storm. Two young children were peering in the book stores' large window. They were on their tip-toes and had their hands cupped around their eyes to cut out the glare, for a better view. It was a cute sight and I wondered if they were making Christmas wishes. I hoped so.

    The Night on this Friday

    When the sun rays start to slant, night is not far behind. Jenny finished her paper and read it aloud. The topic was a difficult one and I am sure there was little pleasure in composing it, but she did a fine job. Lyla was tired early as she had all but skipped her nap earlier. It wasn't long after dinner, that we all declared it would be an early bedtime for all of us. I planned to read when the house was quiet, but I was unable to keep my eyes open for long.

    My last thoughts were feeling grateful for periwinkles growing by picket fences. I thought how I loved little cottages with friendly cats and dogwoods with their cheerful, red berries. This was a very good Friday.