Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Under the Walnut Tree Among the Willows~

We cherish a relationship with Mary and Joyce Martindale, sister and daughter of Herb Martindale, founder of the Neat Little Bookshop.


Willows on The Grand
In the early eighties, Mary wrote historical "vignettes" for The Grand River Sachem and many of these articles were published in a couple small booklets.*  As well as the historical, Mary often shared personal stories.  At a teachers' meeting, a Dr. Wendy Weaver spoke on how to cope with stress.  "One way is to have a special place where you can relax in your mind and get away from it all.

"To my surprise I found myself by the Grand River under the walnut tree among the willows. 

"I forgot my surroundings as I enjoyed again with my mind the stillness, the shale rock of the river bank, the blossoming water plants along the shore and the blue sky dotted with banks of white fluffy clouds.  This way of relieving stress really works."

* Historical Vignettes, Historical Vignettes II. Grand River Sachem, 1983 & 1988.
Photo:  Riverside Park, Cayuga.  lbwalker