A Writer, A Housekeeper and a Honeybee | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Please join me in welcoming Author Michele Rhem, who presents us with her poignant memoirs 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.

    I always say when I am on any sort of break, that for now. . . I am a writer! I announce it on Fridays when I come in the back door of the rabbit patch and Christian laughs every time. Last Friday, when school was dismissed for spring break, I said it again-and Christian laughed again. As it turns out, I should have said . . I am a housekeeper!

    I began spring cleaning the old farmhouse on Saturday. I did get several rooms in good order, but I have noticed, that not only did the territory get bigger, so did the house! I have been cleaning out and cleaning up too. I forewarned Mama, as she was coming to Sunday dinner,about my predicament.

    I assembled a Easter basket for Kyle and Christian late Saturday night. I had bought some of their favorite treats. I also got some traditional chocolate eggs. I wondered if they would think me silly, as Christian is twenty-four and Kyle is twenty-nine, but I always do something anyway.

    Sunday dinner, was especially nice. We had turkey and the trimmings, the famous apple salad, like Aunt Agnes used to make, macaroni and cheese, as daddy is not a fan of turkey-and Mama made a chocolate cake with white icing, my favorite. (Daddy doesn't like that either.) Don't you know that Mama brought us an "Easter basket". She had everybodys' favorites, even the dark chocolate that she knows I love. Dear Diary, I am a few years shy of sixty, but that condition did not prevent me from excitement over a basket of "Easter Joy".

    I resumed housekeeping early this morning. I can now say that the library has less books and dust, than it did this morning. The bath is clean and I expect it to stay that way for at least seventy-two hours. I am almost packed to go spend a few days with Jenny, too. I have organized the "Christmas Closet", which is really a large standing wardrobe, to store gifts that may be bought in June -as well as the wrappings and ribbons.

    In my goings and comings, carrying things to place in an assortment of collections, sorted according to their destiny, I noticed that the "Quiet Garden" had bloomed overnight! I could not find a single rose for the table on Sunday and had used the fragrant Lilacs instead. Today, there were dozens of roses in various hues. I have never known them to all bloom at once-and so suddenly! A lone blue iris also bloomed. Miss Sylvia, my friend and neighbor, had given me the irises that I call a water color iris. Miss Sylvia passed a few weeks ago, and so, in her memory, I will now refer to the irises as "Sylvias", I think.

    Though, it is time to turn the lamp on, I intend to finish a few more projects. Tomorrow, Jenny will be here at noon. I will retire from housekeeping for a few days and become a writer, a wanderer and best and most importantly . . Lylas' very own Honeybee.
Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )




Is It Possible That Mama And Daddy Were Wrong? Rabbit Patch Diaries, Public Perspective, Body & Soul N.C. Health Officials Encourage Protection Against HIV and STDs


HbAD0

Latest Body & Soul

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a Community Partner Engagement Plan to ensure the voices of North Carolina communities and families continue to be at the center of the department’s work.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.
Part of ongoing effort to raise awareness and combat rising congenital syphilis cases
Recognition affirms ECU Health’s commitment to providing highly-reliable, human-centered care
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a new Statewide Peer Warmline on Feb. 20, 2024. The new Peer Warmline will work in tandem with the North Carolina 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by giving callers the option to speak with a Peer Support Specialist.
A subsidiary of one of the largest health insurance agencies in the U.S. was hit by a cyberattack earlier this week from what it believes is a foreign “nation-state” actor, crippling many pharmacies’ ability to process prescriptions across the country.
The John Locke Foundation is supporting a New Bern eye surgeon's legal fight against North Carolina's certificate-of-need restrictions on healthcare providers.
Shia LaBeouf received the Sacrament of Confirmation, completing his conversion to Catholicism, on Sunday, and the actor’s confirmation sponsor suggested LaBeouf may become a deacon “in the future.”
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the following statement on the Trails Carolina investigation:

HbAD1

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released a draft of its 2024-25 Olmstead Plan designed to assist people with disabilities to reside in and experience the full benefit of inclusive communities.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tues., Feb. 20, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is investing $5.5 million into the FIT Wellness program, part of the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program in the UNC School of Medicine, to improve reentry services for the justice-involved population.
As of Feb. 1, 2024, 346,408 newly eligible North Carolinians are enrolled in Medicaid and now have access to comprehensive health care, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard.
Controversy surrounds a healthcare provider’s decision to block parents from having access to their children’s prescription records.
Members of the North Carolina Rural Health Association (NCRHA) visited Washington, D.C., on Feb. 14, 2024, to meet with elected officials and advocate for policies to improve access to care in rural areas.
Mark Wahlberg said that COVID caused a “disconnect” between Americans and called for people to come back together through the “power of prayer.”
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the request for proposal to hire the organization that will help manage the Children and Families Specialty Plan.
As part of its commitment to improve the health and well-being of North Carolina children and families, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of its Child Behavioral Health dashboard.

HbAD2

 
Back to Top