Benevolent Power

Posted on by joyindestructible

When the cotton flies on a summer day worries melt in the magic of rose bouquets presented by the Walking Stick Cactus. In the heat of sun and full life, time, age, and winter don’t matter. Swirling white cotton floating on the warm wind lifts my fanciful thoughts to go dancing in a summer-time blizzard. Feathery white stuff tickles my nose bringing me home to reality with a sneeze! This is June in the Bosque’ where the Cotton Wood is a benevolent King offering life with protection to every heat-stressed, desert creature beneath the cooling power of its shimmering leaves. Shelter for the deer and other four-footed animals is also, found among the Russian Olives, Salt Cedar, and other river-loving shrubs. The ancestral homes of many birds adorn the branches of the Cotton Wood and the lesser tree kinds of this deciduous, desert forest. During this yearly, ‘Summer Ballet of the Cotton’ all is well and at peace.

Suddenly, the cotton’s spell is broken by the sharp screech of a Magpie swooping low! He brings many of his beautiful black and white brethren with him but their dazzle is quickly forgotten in the cacophony of obnoxious sound made by these thugs bent on obtaining dominion of the Bosque’. Nothing in the trees or on the ground is spared as they swoop high and low in tacky pursuit of any creature that moves. The soothing tones of the song birds stop. A few brave parents stay in a valiant effort to protect their nests along with their young but every other bird flees. The land creatures hide beneath bushes and dive into their boroughs. An empty silence replaces the happy sounds of contentment but still the cotton drifting-twirls and the Cotton Woods are undaunted. They stand in silence offering their comforting green branches even to the likes of the Magpie who soon grow bored without the contention that defines them. In the empty, dead silence they’ve created, they begin to eye one another and soon the forest is filled with the sounds of civil war. Swooping, diving, and curling into a moving ball the great battle ensues breaking all from their assigned ranks as camaraderie is forgotten in the pursuit of personal power. Soon, the weakest among these invaders dart away and others follow until the warring mob shrinks to only two. This pair builds a nest and settles in as the other bird’s now wary, return to reclaim their home. Having revealed their true selves to all and being outnumbered, the new-comer Magpies fall silent, craftily subdue their contentious nature, and busy themselves with raising their young.

The Cotton Wood leaves quiver and quake offering their moisture to cool the hot, dry air; by wisdom blessing the righteous and the wicked alike thereby, maintaining balance in the Bosque’.

 

 

 

53 thoughts on “Benevolent Power”

    1. I love my Cotton Woods. The place where we put our house on our property had no trees when we moved here. We were tight on money so, I cut branches from the big trees below our house, rooted them, and planted them. My sons teased me about planting sticks. Now they tease me about how big my sticks have grown.:0) I can’t believe I’ve been here this long or how old I am. lol

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    1. They are recent ‘new comers’ to NM. Territorial NM like my family. I love the scent of the Russian olives when they bloom and the Cotton Woods are natural swamp coolers. I have some very old ones on my property and when the wind blows through them it sounds like the ocean. I treasure them.

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  7. It has been so long that I read something as smooth and beautiful as this, Pam. I was mesmerised all through the post. You’re a natural.

    Also, are you annoyed with me? I’ve not seen my best blogger friend in ages. All okay? I miss you. Sending love. 💜

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    1. Thank you, sweetie. I wasn’t sure if anyone really got this one.:0)

      No, I’m not annoyed with you. I’m dealing with doctors, tests, and not feeling very well. I’m too overwhelmed with life right now for much blogging but God willing, I’ll be back. I’ll have to peek in on you and see what you are up to this summer.:0) Love you too.

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      2. They’re still trying to figure it out and testing for lots of scary stuff but I’m thinking it will be ruled out and they’ll fix me.:0) It’s autoimmune I think and I was diagnosed in the past but it is rare so doctors have a hard time believing it’s real…when I know more I let you know. Thanks for caring and for reading.

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  8. Your writing always astonishes me, it is so fluent and beautiful.. Your cottonwoods must be like our eucalyptus. I am hoping to get back on line a bit more Good to see you enjoying the warmer weather in America. We are cold here and we have had a light dusting of snow in South Australia.

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    1. It’s hot here now. My husband and I just got back from a drive into Colorado. It was nice to escape the heat. I have a temperature window these days between 75 and 90 F where I feel pretty normal but above and below that does terrible things to me. I don’t even want to think about snow…:0)

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    1. Hi Jim…that’s a hard question to answer but I think I’m working my way toward feeling better. The cryo tested negative and the hematologist said it’s in remission right now and he wants to test again this fall and next winter. My blood sugar is terrible from taking prednisone so I’m starting new medication for that. I gave in an am taking some pain medication which I probably shouldn’t have been so stubborn about. They found a small nodule on my thyroid so, I’m having that biopsied on the 11th. Then there’s the small vessel artherosclerosis in my brain that I still need to see a neurologist about. I also need to decide about testing to see if I have the same problem around my heart and in my arms and legs. It’s a lot to work through. If I were to write a book about my health, I’d have to call it “The Princess and a Thousand Peas” . I have so many things wrong, most of them not life threatening, that I can’t keep track of them all and when one thing gets out of whack it effects everything. I’m determined to get everything quieted down again. It’s a lot of work. How are you, Jim?

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      1. Sorry for the delay of getting back to you. I clicked like to your comment than an onslaught of ministry thing snuck up before I got to comment. I wanted you to know that I’m praying for you. There’s so much you are going through….

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      1. I’m doing well. There’s been some serious battle I had with our church concerning sins of leaders but I need to realize I need to trust in God. Please keep me posted Pam. You are in my prayers tonight.

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    1. Thank you for your faithfulness, Jim. I’m actually feeling much better and trying to do what I need to do to stay that way. I’m very busy with my grandchildren and I’m glad you’re praying for them too. I keep thinking I will get back to writing but I feel very quiet inside with nothing pressing to be said. I hope your ministry is going well and your family is blessed and happy. I think of you and pray for you too. These are interesting times.

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