The Art of Tetman Callis

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We must cultivate our garden

March 6th, 2012 · 6 Comments

“He who never has a garden, and knows naught of flowers, and never looks back into the earthly paradise,—he is but a slave and serf of the plough, and is accursed.” — Francis Daniel Pastorius (quoted in The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Vol. XVIII, Ch. XXXI, Sec. 2)

Tags: Lit & Crit

6 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Averil Dean // Mar 6, 2012 at 4:14 pm

    I can’t see ‘garden’ and not think of the blooming junipers. I hope you’re feeling better today.

  • 2 Tetman Callis // Mar 6, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    Thank you. I am feeling better now. The night was a nightmare (endless delirious dreams of Facebook and broken bones), followed by an exhausting early morning of painful wet coughing. My presence at the office was desirable, so I went in, rigged up a couple chairs to sit and nap in while I waited for something I needed to be there waiting for, did the necessaries and nothing else, and came home early. Once home, I lay down with a cup of tea and a book, drank and read, took another short nap, and am feeling much better. Dreading tonight a little, though. Don’t want to go again through what I went through last night. I got up early this morning thinking, “This is the way I’m going to die,” and feeling very blue.

  • 3 Averil Dean // Mar 6, 2012 at 8:28 pm

    Lots and lots of pillows tonight, you don’t want to lie down flat. Maybe a long hot shower before bed to clear your chest, and one last cup of sleepy-time tea. Sweet dreams.

  • 4 Tetman Callis // Mar 7, 2012 at 7:43 am

    I slept propped up most of the night. Woke at 11:00 and my wife brought me a shot of brandy (old-fashioned nighttime cold remedy), then I slept till 1:00 sitting up. Slid down then most of the way, woke at 5:30 coughing and saying, “I’m all right, I’m all right,” between coughing fits, as I don’t want my wife to be alarmed. I’m not going to the office today. Shortly I will be going back to bed for a while.

  • 5 Averil Dean // Mar 6, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    (Love, Mom.)

  • 6 Averil Dean // Mar 7, 2012 at 9:16 am

    That sounds like a miserable night. I’m glad you’re staying home today, hope you get some rest.

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