Nanie to the Rescue

" I had my watercolors out today and was working on another painting of the fall trees from photos at White Rock Lake. This brought back the thoughts to write about my first meeting with Nanie.

Nanie is David's grandmother on his mother's side. She lived next door to my parents here in Lakewood. It was the second day that we were in the house that I asked mom if I could take my watercolors out to the picnic table in the backyard. Mom was bravely making her way through kitchen boxes trying to unpack. She stopped and found a mason jar and filled it with water for me and carried it out to the new picnic table. I had my blue sketchbook with me, the big one. Mom disappeared back in the house as I opened my paint box and set out painting a picture of the big trees in our backyard. I remember hearing the birds and I looked up and spotted a red cardinal on a bird feeder in the backyard next door. I left my brushes in water and headed with the soggy tablet and a pencil over to sit and draw the bright red bird.

Our neighbor was watching me from her back porch. I never saw her and have no idea how long she watched me, but I sat in her yard in the grass totally mesmerized by the birds flittering around her feeder. I drew as many of them as I could captivated by their activity.
A shadow fell across my lap and I squinted up to see a strange woman looking over my shoulder at my drawings. We were instant friends. I joined her on her big back porch and shared all my drawings with her. She shared freshly made peanut butter cookies and a glass of millk with me.

Nanie shared much more than that over the past years. She lived in that house until she died. I was trying to remember how old she was, but I can only remember that the twins were about 14 when God claimed her to his heavens. The world could use more 'Nanie' grandmothers that know how to take care of everyone in their life. I draw comfort that David has her same silver-blue eyes, so I am reminded daily of her love for life and all of us.

I am off to finish my tree painting, it is so good to be painting again."

Lauren
22 November 2008