Like the Loopin’ Lady (Micro Fiction)

Posted on by Prior...

 

Time to join in with Friday Fictioneers.

Here is the photo:

 

Photo credit – Sandra Crook

Here is the fiction:

Genre: Realistic fiction

Word Count: 100 

Title: Like the Loopin’ Lady”

__

“So Mrs. Smith, you bring this nature display to hundreds of schools?”

“Yes, Samantha.”

“It’s beautiful! It’s like we get to touch the sea. You’re like the loopin’ lady.”

“She means Miss Rumphius,” Latisha chimed in. “She lived by the sea and had to heal up. Then she made the world more beautiful by planting Lupine seeds everywhere. Our teacher said we all could make the world more beautiful – with little things we do.”

“You’re teacher is right. And today, each of you brought a splash of beauty my way. Sometimes we get touched by beautiful things we cannot see.”

—

___

 

Author Notes:

When I saw the featured photo this morning, It reminded me of how sometimes little displays like this bring a splash of the ocean to people. I almost wrote about how we should not collect some artifacts because items need to be left in their natural habitat. But then I flash backed to some of the nature centers I used to teach at and I could recall student awe when they would see simple nature displays.

I also was thinking of this purple flowering ground cover I have on the side of the house (it came up while comment talking with Joey) – and then Su Leslie shared some of her neighbor’s blooms and it reminded me how flowers make the world more beautiful for everyone – even if they are in someone else’s yard.

Then my thoughts wandered to this wonderful children’s picture book, Miss Rumphius, written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney (1982). It is about a lady who lived by the sea – she healed her back  – then she was inspired by Lupines in her window. And then she “sewed lupines all around.”

And then my fiction unfolded with Mrs. Smith and a small group of students

Here are some of the lines I love from Miss Rumphius:

“The flowers she had planted the summer before had come up and bloomed in spite of the stony ground. She could see them from her window. Blue and purple and rose-colored”

“After a hard winter, spring came. And she was feeling better.”

“You must do something to make the world more beautiful.”

 

Video with the author reading this book is here

 

Now of course you know I am going to remind us all to remember that we can (and do) make the world more beautiful with the little things we splash around and share.

With a smile, through our work, and sometimes with dropping seeds or actually cultivating plants.

But I also want to expound on Lupines a bit.

As simple as this flower looks – and as easy as it spreads – it is very unique because the Karner Blue butterfly relies solely on this plant for survival.  This stood out to me because it reminded me of our individual worth and appeal. Sometimes our lives only touch a few people – we are not all (some of you reading might be) but a good many of us are not these overly-popular and high-power society people (yawn) – but the lives we DO touch – well it matters greatly – and let’s celebrate that.

But wait – there’s more!

Did you know that Lupine grow best in sandy soil and they thrive after a forest fire clears out some of the forest canopy so that just the right amount of light can enter. That reminded me of how life’s trials can seem so taxing and they often leave a big dent (like a forest fire can do…) but many times that trial was the exact thing needed for growth and individual habitat enrichment.

Let’s all remember that – there are many things going on in our life that can LEAD to good.

Let’s find the beauty, share the beauty, and remember that sometimes the “not so beautiful” (the shitty stuff) can later lead to some pretty awesome growth (and maybe even more gratitude).

 

Side note on Beauty – Bjorn wrote a magnificent post about beauty HERE

 

go here to see this post that will leave you pondering

 

 

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63 thoughts on “Like the Loopin’ Lady (Micro Fiction)”

  1. I loved your story and all the encouraging words that followed it. I, too, believe strongly that the beauty of the world is important and to be cherished; and above all that we can cherish and nurture each other and that this matters above everything else.
    It was good to read your words today.

    Liked by 2 people

  4. This is gorgeously written. The message is so true. The little things in life can bring a smile to peoples’ faces and it is important to cherish the beautiful nature we have around us. A lovely story of hope.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I really appreciate your generous comment –
      😉
      Oh and I could reply to so much but what really stands out is the part about smiles – they really do bring beauty – and they are free

      Like

    1. Yes – exactly 100 and my “entry” is – but in the author notes I had a little rant – and way over 100 there
      (Dan – with all the writing you do – you should try fiction – I told Joey that she needs to also – but she said “not her thing”)

      Liked by 1 person

    2. And your beer posts are close enough – you tell great stories through dialogue and “show” so much – I know seasoned writers who cannot make it work the way you do – and yes – you seem to have a nice routine – but if you ever reach a point of wanting to change or try – it will always be there – ha

      Liked by 1 person

  7. I just learn the name of the flowers that I had taken a picture a long time back. Now, I like the word “Lupine” …

    You are always good at coming up with short stories!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Well thanks YC – and i always used to saw the name wrong – I’d say the long “I” sound – as in pine – and so when I refer to the LOOPIN lady in the story – it was a bit for me – hah (thanks for taking the time to read – and I have a few typos to fix )

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks soooooo much
      And to share a bit – I was more the type that was prone to keep it succinct – but after blogging for a while – I found that while reading other bloggers – it was in their little extras and asides that I was enriched and got to know them more – and so I try and separate the “extras” so some folks can read the main post and dash is they want to

      Liked by 1 person

  10. (EN) Beautiful post,Y. “Beautiful” refers to all your beautiful thoughts, truly thanks for sharing😊 and…lupine are also tasty as food 😉
    (IT) Bellissimo post Y. “Bellissimo” si riferisce a tutti i tuoi bellissimi pensieri, davvero grazie per la condivisione 😊 e…i lupini sono anche gustosi come cibo 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Did not know you could eat them ! Wow – but have had pansies on a cake
      Oh and thanks for your very sweet (um date I say beautiful and overdo the word) well super nice comment – peace

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I enjoyed your post, and the subsequent footnote. I also am a great lover of lupins, though it’s one of those things I don’t have a grat deal of success with. I’ve settled for Penstemon instead.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. What a lovely story, Yvette… As for the novel that followed it 😉 I was going to hop over and dismiss it but changed my mind. Lovely message all ’round.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Nice message about creating beauty through little things we do. Cute using loopin’ for lupine ( which i have been mispronouncing all along :))

    All i can think of is the native plant crowd getting upset when they see nonnative flowers among the sanddunes. Around here, there’s a dune sunflower that grows naturally, will that do? A few flowers is a great way to spruce up any space, in my view!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. and I so much agree with you on this: “a few flowers is a great way to spruce up any space”
      ahhhh

      and I think many of us mispronounce that Lupine name because “we add an ‘e’ to the end of a most words, it makes the vowel sound long and says the sound in the alphabet name”
      so …
      well now we know – ha – and that is why I wrote Loopin’ in my fiction..

      have a nice day

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Oh, what a delightful reminder that beauty can be found in the smallest things: a spider web, a slice of mica, a dandelion … And when shared, these small beauties make the world go round.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Alicia – and in my fiction i was noting how the unseen can splash beauty and as a teacher (different subjects over many years – from pre-k (never infants) to university – and students continue to bring beauty my way
      –
      and and I like your three:
      a spider web, a slice of mica, a dandelion

      Like

    1. many thanks

      How interesting that it is invasive – I do not think we have to worry about it here because our area is not a top “Lupine grow area” – but we do have mints and certain ground covers that can take over….

      Like

  26. Aw! That’s one of my eldest daughter’s favorite books from childhood. I wonder if she’s read it to her boys… Anyway, yes, lupines are beautiful even though they’re invasive. I enjoy looking at them, especially up north where they’ve taken over fields — but I won’t plant them 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  29. The little things are beautiful and make such a difference. Lovely uplifting story.

    Like

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