7 minute read
Fiction
from 20220922
Messages From a Simple Garden
By Linda Helmich
How can a simple garden have so much to say?
In early spring, before the snow has melted, the seed catalogs begin to arrive. I hear the garden whispering messages of hope and feel the joy of anticipation, suggesting so many elaborate plans. I imagine how marvelous it is going to be, maybe. This year could be better than ever before, maybe.
All of that dreaming eventually leads to the work of chopping and churning and chiding the resistant clods into pliable, friable, welcoming earthiness. I work it with a spade, and with my hands.
After a long day of it, I smell sweaty and feel sticky. When I lick my dried out lips, they taste salty. My hands are rough as sandpaper, and my nails are ruined. My back aches, but my heart is full.
It all looks so good!
When I plant the seeds, I hear new messages. “All through life you are planting seeds with your words and with your actions. What kind of harvest will be the result of how you have lived? Have faith,” it says. “The faith to plant good seeds.”
Though I see nothing happening, I water. Over and over, I keep watering. Finally, the tiny sprouts emerge, and it is time to thin. Oh, that tedious thinning!
The garden says, “Patience! Persevere! You must persevere. Nothing good comes without perseverance.”
Those are always hard words to hear, but not the hardest. The next message is even more difficult, for just as the beets and carrots and cabbages come up, so do the weeds.
The garden says to me, “Your life, too, has weeds, attitudes and behaviors that are keeping you from being the best you that you can be. What will you do about them?”
These are good things to ponder as my hands are busy. There is richness in the “examined life.”
One fine day, I get to reap what I have sown, and the message is clear. “All good work produces a harvest.”
It is a time to be glad, a time to rejoice, a time to be amazed with how delicious fresh veggies taste, with the beauty of the colors, textures and fragrances of the flowers and with the satisfaction of a job well done.
Finally, the garden is put to rest, stripped bare, relieved off its burdens above and belowground. For this year, its work is done. It is back to being just plain dirt. Soon enough, it’s covered with snow, but from underneath, I hear a still, soft voice…
“Like me, let yourself be at peace. Rest. You need that, too.”
Come to rest
By JM Jesse
High country wild flowers. Photo by Just Jim
M
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27 Boxes
By Jeanne Souldern
A single leaf falls Languidly zigzagging down Soundlessly landing At age seven
I sold 27 boxes of Camp Fire Girls candy
In our neighborhood
I went out alone
How many blocks walked
How many doors were knocked and
How many strangers had
Listened to a little girl
Chocolate-covered caramels And mint patties And the assorted chocolate box Where are your parents, little girl?
Mom and Dad are busy
I don't mind being a little girl alone
I want to sell for my troop
At my school Sometimes the walk is lonely
But that last nice lady bought two boxes
And she thanked me for being so brave
To venture out alone
Brave, I thought Maybe that is what I am But I wanted to be a part of Doing good for my troop
If that means I'm brave Then I guess I am A brave little girl
I sold the most boxes of candy My troop leader gives me A paper award With my name written on it And 27 boxes sold
Illustration by Sofie Koski
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Adverteyes in The Sun Adverteyesin The Sun
Longtime Carbondale resident Doc Phillips surveys the changes at Fourth and Main. As stipulated by the donor of the Fourth Street Plaza/Park, a 80-by-20foot reserved parking easement was cleared, which included removal of the town’s events shed. Weeks prior, four parking spaces had been reserved for real estate company Engel & Völkers. How the remaining four to six spaces will be allocated remains to be seen. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
LEGALS
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering an update to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.
The applicant is the Town of Carbondale.
Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on October 13, 2022. You may also participate via Zoom. The Zoom link will be available on the October 13, 2022 Planning and Zoning Commission agenda. Copies of the draft Comprehensive Plan are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined by interested persons during regular working hours, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The draft Comprehensive Plan may also be reviewed on the Town’s website at www.carbondalegov.org
Jared Barnes, Planning Director
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Correction:
In last week’s Basalt Report, Mary Weiner of Holy Cross Energy was quoted saying that Black Hills Energy natural gas rates “tripled in January.” According to a Black Hills Energy representative, the average monthly bill for customers in Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin counties went from $114.46 to $117.34 on Jan. 1, 2022, “an average monthly change of $2.88 or 3.3% per month for an average monthly household usage of 86 therms (about $1.36 per therm).” Weiner was also quoted saying Holy Cross Energy buys little coal, while their website clarifies they get nearly 31% of their power from coal (www.holycross.com/ system-specifications/). The Sopris Sun will follow up on the intricacies of this story. If you’d like to provide information, email news@soprissun.com
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Town of Carbondale Board of Trustees for the purpose of considering an Appeal of the Town of Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission’s August 11, 2022, Denial of a combined application for Minor Site Plan Review, a Conditional Use Permit and Alternative compliance (for modification to UDC provisions regarding location of landscaping) in connection with the proposed establishment of a retail marijuana business on the below-described property.
The property is described as: Parcel B, of the Subdivision Exemption Plat, Re-subdivision of Klenck Property, Recorded October 26, 1985 as Reception No. 366044, County of Garfield, State of Colorado with a street address of 1337 County Road 106
The owner is: Crystal River Marketplace, LLC The applicant is: PI Carbondale LLC/LOVA, c/o Matthew Shifrin Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 6:00 p.m. on October 11, 2022. Copies of the application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined by interested persons during regular working hours, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be reviewed on the Town’s website at www.carbondalegov. org WINDSHIELD REPAIR & AUTO GLASSFor more info contact Todd Chamberlin: adsales@soprissun.com or 970-510-0246 WINDSHIELDREPLACEMENT REPAIR & AUTO GLASS REPLACEMENT 970-963-3891 Mobile Service Available 970-963-3891 MobiServicAvailab
Locally Owned by David Zamansky
Locally Owned by David Zamansky Locally owned by Jake Zamansky 500 Buggy Circle, Carbondale, CO 500 Buggy Circle, Carbondale, CO
GUNNISON COUNTY JOB OPPORTUNITY GUNNISON COUNTY JOB OPPORTUNITY
Heavy Equipment Operator II (Marble Area)
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, starting hourly rate at $24.17, plus full benefits. For more information, including the complete job description, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit www.GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
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