Vrouw

Middag. Ik zit wat loom op de bank. Buiten is het warm en schijnt de zon. Het boek dat ik aan het lezen ben houdt mijn aandacht niet meer zo vast en ik tuur wat naar buiten. Niets te zien. Ik verdiep me weer in mijn boek. Even later dwalen mijn gedachten toch weer af en ik werp opnieuw een blik naar buiten. In mijn blikveld verschijnt een vrouw.

Prachtig rechtop loopt ze te slenteren. Gekleed in roze, en slippers aan haar voeten. Met een lange sluier om haar hoofd, ook roze. De stof van de sluier is doorschijnend en wappert in het lichte briesje. Aan haar hand een klein meisje, haar dochter misschien, dat vrolijk meehuppelt. Het meisje draagt een oranje jurkje. Een kleurig tweetal in mijn straat van grauwe na-oorlogse bouw en hoge groene beuken. Uit het naburige asielzoekerscentrum, besluit ik, terwijl ik ze nakijk tot ik ze niet meer kan zien.

Waar komen ze vandaan? Wat doen ze hier? Wat heeft ze van huis en haard verdreven om terecht te komen in dit volkswijkje? Wat zou de vrouw vinden van die grauwe woningbouw en de keurig onderhouden tuintjes? Wat denkt ze van de rechte stoepen? Ik schat haar even oud als ik ben. Wat zou ze van mij denken als ze mij zag lopen? Zouden we iets gemeen hebben naast wereldburger en vrouw zijn?

Meltdown

Heat, shorts, tanktop, suntanlotion, bathing towel, magazines, icecream, book, sunglasses, fata morgana, make sure you drink enough water, shadow, thermometer, scorched grass, bare feet, happy....

Birds, birds, birds

Well, so much for a night in front of the tv...
While sitting in the backyard after dinner we saw a pigeon crash into the little birdhouse we have. It crashed into it and then tumbled off into the bushes. We saw some of the neighbour-cats crawling towards it, so we jumped off our chairs (my legs!) and got it before it would be devoured by the cats! We put the bird into a cage for a while so it could rest and 45 minutes later we tried if it would fly again. We threw the bird up in the air and yes it did fly .. and then fell straight from the sky. We ran to it, 'cause the cats sprung into action again. We put it back in the cage and later tried one more time, but it fell again. This time we almost lost it, one of the cats had her claws in it already (I never saw that cat run before, but it turned out she can run, and fast too). The bird had hid under a car and with alot of trouble we got it from under the car. We decided to bring the bird to a bird shelter. We took the car and drove all the way there. It is on a farm somewhere in the country, you know, little dark backroads with signs like these:



Anyway, once there I could not believe what I saw. Birds everywhere. All kinds of birds. It turned out that for 10 years these people (an older couple) lived in the same street as we live, and after he retired they bought this farm and started a bird shelter, all on a volunteer basis. They are busier now than ever before. It turned out the pigeon was dehydrated and extremly underfed and exhausted. He pushed some food down the poor birds throat and they will keep it untill it's better again.
They also had a dog that came to my shoulder!!!! It was as large as a cow, I swear. We saw rabbits on the field everywhere. It was an amazing place and a unusual way to spend the evening hehe.

Kittens

I just found four kittens in the backyard. I think they are about four weeks old, maybe less. The little eyes have just opened and are still blue. Two of them are black and the other two are grey. They look so cute. They look nourished and healthy. After some time I found the mother too. I will make some pictures later.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

I should have been in bed asleep, but the thought of the Mockingbird made me think of my 'Uncle Tom book' collection. Years ago I visited Uncle Toms Cabin Site in Dresden, Ontario, Canada. In 1841 a man called Josiah Henson moved his family there after they escaped from slavery via the 'Underground Railroad'. He helped to establish the Dawn Settlement. The settlement was established to provide a refuge and a new beginning for former slaves. Through his leadership, the British American Institute, one of Canada's first industrial schools, was founded. The school was intended for the advancement of fugitive slaves. Somehow Josiah's name became synonymous with the central character "Uncle Tom" in Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. The novel sold 300,000 copies within the first year and helped to raise awareness to the brutality of slavery. Parts of the settlement still exists and I went there one very hot summerday with my aunt and uncle while I was on vacation in Canada.

There was a glass case with all kinds of editions in all kinds of languages by which I was very impressed. That was the beginning of me collecting 'Uncle Tom' books. Most books in my collection are in the dutch language since they are easier to obtain. I do want to get my hands on other languages though.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, who wrote the novel, later wrote 'The Key to Uncle Tom'. Stowe wrote this book to defend her novel against one of the most wide-spread complaints that pro-slavery critics lodged against it. Because I work in a University Library I once had the change to hold a copy of this key in my hands (they are quite rare). Ofcourse nowadays the novel as well as the The Key to Uncle Tom can be read online. But never ever will that replace the smell and feel of a real book.

If it so happens I got you interested visit this site. It is amazing. It's an extensive multi-media archive on the book 'Uncle Toms cabin' and on American Culture.

Little Friend and Mockingbird

I have to write something about The little friend by Donna Tart again. It's an enticing book! Although it's a very different story somehow the atmosphere of the book reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It's remniscent of hot, hazy, long-gone summerdays. Wonderful books, both of them!

Oops, I did it!

Welcome to my little place on the web. It's not much yet but I'm working on it. Take a look around and come back any time you like :).

Because the weather looked so nice today I planned on spending the day outside in the backyard with a book.
But this site kept me busy and now the sky has clouded over. I guess that will keep me glued to the computer a bit longer ;). I am reading The little friend by Donna Tart.