Earth, Air, Water, Light

by C L Lassila

  “Darwin, leave the bird alone,” Adelaide said.

  The dog turned and looked at her and then went on with his exploration.

  The two of them eventually made their way to the pond. Adelaide had come to enjoy observing her favorite places as they changed with the seasons. The leaves had all found their place on the ground now and the birds that were still around were those that would stay through the winter. All of the waterfowl that had animated the pond on her first visits there had now moved on to locations further south. The temporary visitors, those who had made a brief appearance their while on their long migration, had also moved on.

  She and Darwin found a comfortable place to sit in the autumn sunshine. Adelaide heard the familiar drumming of a woodpecker hunting for insects somewhere in a tree close by. Her eyes searched through the branches trying to locate where the noise was coming from. It took her several minutes as she tries to pinpoint the source of the sound. Finally she spotted some movement on the side of a large tree about twenty feet from where she was seated. She was surprised that the woodpecker that had been so difficult for her to spot was in fact a fairly large and quite grand bird. Adelaide guessed that the woodpecker, which sported a bright red crest, was close in size to a crow. Entirely black from the neck down, it was the bird’s head that was the most striking, with the red crest and black and white stripes on the sides. Enthralled by the spectacular bird, she sat and watched as it moved effortlessly along the vertical trunk of the tree, exploring the bark with its long beak in pursuit of insects. Intermittently it would stop and pound into the bark to capture its prey, producing the characteristic drumming.

  Adelaide attempted some quick sketches of the woodpecker but then abandoned the task in order to watch the bird. Her efforts fell far short of accurately representing the creature. The perfection that was present in nature could never be fully captured through the movement of her pencil on paper. As she watched the woodpecker she thought how well designed it was for its endeavors, moving easily over the tree bark, using its long beak to extract its food. The bird took flight, moving on to another tree, and then on to another until it disappeared from view.

  Adelaide welcomed the relaxation that her surroundings provided her. She sat quietly, her fingers slowly brushing over the fur of the dog lying at her side. Movement in the trees on the opposite side of the pond caught her attention. Three deer appeared from the cover of the bush and moved down to the water’s edge where they drank. Suddenly all three of the beautiful animals raised their heads simultaneously and looked directly toward Adelaide. Perhaps they caught the scent of the strangers or perhaps they sensed a different threat, but within the blink of an eye all three had vanished, disappearing behind the trees, their movements fluid and elegant.

  Adelaide thought, as she watched the wildlife, that she envied their freedom. They moved through their lives without the burdens of responsibility or possessions; living without being judged, without gossip or social expectations; eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, following their own path and taking no more from nature than was necessary for survival.

  Just for an instant, as she sat savoring the pleasure that this setting brought her, she found herself wondering if she would still be able to do this next year, after her baby was born. Quickly she pushed the thought from her mind, concentrating on staying in the present moment. Such thoughts would do her no good. She and Darwin remained there a while more, until the shadows grew longer and the sun, with its path this time of the year lower in the sky, reached the point that told her that it was time to return home.

  Along with the setting of the sun, came a drop it the temperature. It was going to be a cold night. Adelaide, after checking on the chickens, read for a while before deciding to go to bed early. She removed an extra blanket from the chest left behind by Mrs. Greenfield and threw it on the bed before climbing in herself. Darwin immediately jumped up onto the bed and settled down next to her.

  She was confused when later a loud noise roused her from a deep sleep. She sat up, startled, as Darwin jumped off of the bed and ran to the door barking. Someone was at the front door.

  “Adi, it’s Calix,” he said, announcing himself as the source of the pounding.

  She pulled the extra blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders before making her way through the darkness to the door.

  “It’s all right, Dar,” she said to the dog who was still barking at the closed door.

  Adelaide opened the door and looked out at the man whom she had been waiting for. Calix reached for her, placing his strong hand behind her head. He pulled her close to him. His lips settled upon hers. The kiss reawakened the desire that she had tried to suppress all day.

  He whispered in her ear, “I had to be certain that you saw this.”

  Calix put his arm around her shoulders and guided her out onto the porch. She then walked with him into the yard. The night sky, usually illuminated by bright, white stars, tonight was alive with color. The aurora borealis had painted the sky with purple and turquoise, pink and orange. The vivid, glowing colors pulsed and flowed across the ebony expanse above them.

  “The northern lights,” Adelaide said in a whisper.

  “The northern lights,” Calix replied.

  Calix stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her, as she watched the sky in amazement.

  “Will they last?” she asked excitedly. “Can I go and put some clothes on. Will they still be here?”

  “Yes,” Calix said and laughed. “They will wait for you,” he added, hugging her tightly.

  Adelaide went into the house and quickly threw on her pants, boots and jacket while Calix waited for her on the porch. She came back out with two blankets. Calix took her hand and the two walked through the darkness to a small rise on the property that provided a good view of the northern sky. They arranged a blanket on the damp ground. Calix sat down first and pulled Adelaide down between his legs. He then wrapped the remaining blanket around the both of them. They sat quietly, awed by nature’s artistry, captivated by the intense colors moving in the night sky. Adelaide rested her head back against Calix’s chest, comfortable and warm in his embrace. Darwin has found a spot for himself on the blanket beside them.

  “I wish that the sky was like this every night,” Adelaide said softly.

  “But then you would never want to sleep,” Calix replied, pressing his lips against the top of her head. “Can I stay for a few days?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Adelaide answered.

  The night was perfection.

  They sat together for some time watching the magnificent display until the night’s cold began to permeate the blankets. Then, walking hand in hand, they returned with Darwin to the house.

  Adelaide awoke the next morning, naked, in Calix’s arms. Lying back to front, she could feel his warm body behind hers. She pressed her body back against his as he kissed her shoulder and her neck. His fingers glided slowly over her electrified skin, moving down over her stomach until they found her wetness. She lay still, aroused by his caress, feeling his hardness against her buttocks. His erection moved down between her legs and then deeply into her. Filling her up, he then held still, while his fingers continued their caress. Adelaide’s breathing quickened until she climaxed, the pleasure rushing in waves through her body. Calix then rolled her onto her back and, positioning himself between her thighs, he slid back into her wetness. He lay on top on her and whispered in her ear, “good morning.”

  “Good morning,” she sighed as his mouth found hers.

  Her fingers ran down his strong, smooth back as he began to thrust into her. She moved her body beneath his, lifting her pelvis to meet him, as this thrusts increased in tempo. Finally, unable to hold back any long, they both climaxed together.

  They finally abandoned the bed much later than Adelaide normally did. Darwin sat by the bedroom door waiting for her, obviously displeased with the disruption to his schedule.

  Adelaide walked by and scratc
hed him behind the ears.

  “I know, Dar. I’m hungry too,” she said.

  Calix started a fire in the kitchen stove while Adelaide went out to greet the beautiful, brisk, fall morning and check on the chickens. Darwin ran out of the door behind her.

  When later they sat at the table to eat breakfast, Calix took a small, folded and tied piece of paper and presented it to Adelaide.

  “I know that this is a gift that you will appreciate much more than a new hat,” Calix said with a laugh.

  Adelaide picked up the small package and carefully opened it, revealing a number of small seeds. She looked over at Calix, smiling.

  “What kind of seeds are they?” she asked.

  “Flowers for your garden,” he replied. “They are called purple coneflowers. The Indians use parts of the plant for medicine. We can clear a space and plant them today.”

  “I’d like that,” Adelaide said. “There is a type of bush that I would like to grow in the yard too. Can we walk there today so that I can show you? They had the most beautiful colors before the leaves fell. And the birds like to eat the berries.”

  “The ground hasn’t frozen yet. We might be able to move some small ones,” Calix responded.

  “The large oak that the children are buried under produced so many acorns. There was always wildlife out in the yard feasting on them. The blue jays really enjoyed them. I spent a lot of time outside watching the activity around that beautiful, big tree,” Adelaide said. “I never thought that I could become so fond of a tree.”

  “The blue jays stay around for the winter. You will have some color in the trees around the house when the snow falls,” Calix added.

  The conversation continued until they had finished breakfast. They then prepared to go off and find the bushes that Adelaide had spoken of. Calix found a pick and shovel out in the shed along with some sacks that would make due to wrap around the roots. Adelaide insisted on carrying the lighter of the two tools and they set off into the woods with Darwin. The trees that they were seeking grew on the edge of a clearing just past the pond.

  Several partridges took flight as the trio made their way through the forest, startled by their approach. As they walked Calix pointed out things that he thought would be of interest to Adelaide or she would notice something and draw his attention to it. They made their way carefully, trying to not make too much of a disturbance, respecting the fact that the woods that they walked through was home to many wild animals. They were the visitors there.

  When they neared their destination Adelaide saw that several large trees had been taken down by the beaver since her last visit to the pond.

  “The beaver are preparing for the winter,” Calix said, when they stopped and surveyed the animals’ enterprise.

  Another good sized tree that had stood nearby had completely disappeared. All that remained of it was the pointed stump and a pile of wood chips lying on the ground beside it.

  “It is amazing to me that they can move a tree this size. They pulled it underwater?” Adelaide asked.

  “They did,” Calix answered. “They are strong animals. They will eat the bark from the submerged tree when the pond freezes over.”

  “I have a cache of potatoes and turnips. They have a tree,” Adelaide said and laughed.

  “Probably more than one,” Calix added.

  They continued on past the pond until Adelaide pointed out the trees that she had been talking about.

  “Staghorn Sumac,” Calix said, identifying the plants.

  “The leaves were the most magnificent colors before they fell off. And the birds like to eat the curious berries that grow on the end of the branches. The fruit is odd looking but the birds seem to like them. There were some beautiful, gold colored birds eating here a couple of weeks ago,” Adelaide said.

  “Probably evening grosbeak,” Calix replied. “The fruit is odd looking. Edible though. The Ojibway use the berries to make a drink.”

  “Do you think that we can move one?” Adelaide inquired.

  “There are some small ones that shouldn’t be too heavy. We might be able to carry two of them. Let’s see how heavy they are after I dig one up,” Calix said.

  He walked around the grove of sumac and selected several trees that were two to three feet high to dig up. When he had loosened the root structure from the ground Adelaide held open the burlap sacks as Calix placed the trees in them. He then took a piece of rope and secured the bags to protect the roots.

  “If you can carry the tools, I can manage the trees,” he told Adelaide. “It’s too bad that we can’t put Darwin to work.”

  “No heavy labor for Darwin,” Adelaide said. “He is retired. Aren’t you, Dar?”

  With the trees secured, they started back to the farm, slowed down by the weight of what they were carrying. They took frequent stops along the way to rest and to enjoy the lovely day. When they reached a break in the trees they decided to linger for a while relishing the warmth of the sunshine. The intense blue of the cloudless sky seemed to have deepened as the day progressed. The bright sunlight shining through the branches decorated the landscape in a pattern of dark shadows and harsh light.

  Adelaide told Calix about her desire to have vegetation around the farm that would attract birds and other wildlife. She did not explain that she feared that after she had a child she would not be able to get into the woods and that she did not want to be unable to observe and sketch wildlife, a past time that she had grown to love.

  Darwin, who had been lying at Adelaide’s side, suddenly stood up. His ears pricked up as he stood frozen staring off into the forest to their left. The dog was obviously aware of something close by that neither Adelaide nor Calix had yet detected. A minute or two passed with Darwin standing at attention when they both heard a rustling in the bushes. They both looked in the direction of the disturbance and saw amidst the branches a flash of yellow. Obscured by thick brush they were unable to get a good look at the source of the noise as it moved away from them. Finally, for just a moment, the figure of a woman in a yellow dress came into view between the trees before again disappearing into the brush.

  The woman, in that brief moment, turned to look in their direction. Adelaide recognized her. It was Mary. Adelaide had kept her secret. She knew from her conversations with Nathan Pope that Mary did not have any remaining family after the death of her brother. Therefore revealing her identity would achieve little if anything. She saw no point in telling the girl’s heartbreaking story, a story that if known would be the gossip of every member of the community. She left it for Mary to tell should she ever choose to tell it.

  “It’s the girl from the church,” Adelaide said. “I’ve seen her at services with the reverend’s wife.”

  “Do you think that she is all right?” Calix asked.

  “She is headed toward town,” Adelaide answered. “And she saw us. If she needed help she would have come to us, not run away.”

  They did not see Mary again as they continued on to the farm. When they finally walked back into the yard they were greeted by the cawing of the crows. As they moved toward the house one of the crows flew down low over Adelaide’s head and landed on the ground about ten feet in front of them. She realized that, caught up in the morning’s activities, she had forgotten to give them their usual treat.

  “I think that he feels neglected,” Calix said laughing.

  “I will be right with you in just a minute,” Adelaide said addressing the crow.

  She went into the house after setting down the tools and returned with some pieces of bread which she tossed onto the ground. One crow vocalized as the others flew down, took a piece of bread and flew off again. She then threw the last couple of pieces to one of the birds that had lagged behind, taking care that every crow got something.

  “I like having them around,” Adelaide said. “They are very interesting birds. And they chase the hawks away.”

  “They know that you are an easy mark,” Calix added.

&nbs
p; The chickens ran over and pecked at the crumbs left behind by the crows. The four legged chicken came over to Adelaide and pecked at her pant leg. She reached into her pocket and, squatting down, let the chicken eat some corn from her hand. Calix looked at her and laughed.

  “They have you trained,” he said.

  While Adelaide went inside to make them something to eat, Calix selected a spot to plant the sumac and began to dig the holes for them. The chickens ran over and pecked through the upturned dirt looking for bugs. Adelaide had requested that the trees be placed not too far from the house, in an area where they could be easily seen from the back porch. He chose a spot that he thought would suit both Adelaide and the sumac well.

  Both Calix and Adelaide had worked up an appetite and were happy to sit down for a meal. Refreshed from their break they returned to the yard to finish their work. Adelaide helped Calix with the trees. After they were planted back in the earth they then cleared a section of ground for the purple coneflower and went about planting the seeds.

  They joked and played as they worked and this made what was in fact taxing labor seem easy and fun. The shadows of the trees had stretched long across the yard by the time they were done. Darwin was napping on the porch. The chickens had returned to the coop. Calix and Adelaide were both pleased with the efforts of their day.

  When the sun set they were eating supper and sharing stories. They passed their evening playing cards and later reading to each other from ‘Omoo: A Narrative of the South Seas’, one of the books left behind by the Greenfields.

  Both of them went to bed exhausted and happy. They fell asleep quickly after making love.

  Over the course of the next few days they collected some raspberry and blackberry seeds which were then planted on the property. Calix also knew where elderberry grew and after another day in the woods they returned with a couple of small elderberry trees.