The Land of Counterpane and other remembrances

I find myself acutely nostalgic in a bittersweet way today...

To my grandmother G.E.K.H., I miss our special times after school when I was a child... watching Tom and Jerry cartoons and drinking Dr. Pepper. I miss our bird and squirrel watching, discussions of home decor, and the way that you made every holiday, every birthday, even every ordinary day so special. I will never forget the smell of roses that I will forever equate with you, blueberry pies, picnics on the back porch, and the heady lilac days of spring and summer in your backyard. I shall forever treasure the books you brought me when I was ill, and the way your smile brightened everything. You were one of the few who ever made me feel truly special, unconditionally.

After all these years I can still weep for you. I will always carry you in my heart and I will miss you forever.


Tomorrow I am going to celebrate Grandad's birthday. My favorite poem as a child was one he shared with me that was contained within one of the books you brought to me during one of my childhood bouts of illness:



The Land of Counterpane
by Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was sick and lay a-bed,
I had two pillows at my head,
And all my toys beside me lay,
To keep me happy all the day.

And sometimes for an hour or so
I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bed-clothes, through the hills;

And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.

I was the giant great and still
That sits upon the pillow-hill,
And sees before him, dale and plain,
The pleasant land of counterpane.