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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2007)
Page 8 The INDEPENDENT, December 20, 2007 Can You Dig It? By Schann Nelson OSU Master Gardener Since folks are more worried, anxious and depressed this season than usual, I certainly don’t want to add to your bur- dens. Instead a few stories to read while relaxing with a well- earned, warm cuppa, perhaps to share with the children, in a warm and quiet moment. First two folk tales from Sheryl Ann Kara’s book The Sol- stice Evergreen: The History, Folklore and Origins of the Christmas Tree The Dancing Brothers (Iroquois Tribe) Long ago there lived seven brothers who; on hot summer nights, slept outside their hogans in the cool grass. One night they were awakened by the most beautiful singing. It seemed to be coming from the stars. The sound enveloped the brothers, lifting them up and lightening their very souls. They began to dance a rhythmic weaving dance in the soft moonlit night. Entering a trancelike state they danced and danced until they found themselves climbing up into the sky. The youngest brother was the first to pull his attention away. “My brothers! Look at where we are!” he exclaimed. “How can this be? Why are we here?” “You have been chosen to be stars in the heavens,” answered the moon. “In the season the new year, when the council fires are lit, you shall dance over the lodges of the people.” The moon raised his arm to set the brothers into the sky, but the youngest suddenly be- came distraught because he could hear the sound of a woman weeping. “That’s our mother!” he cried. He turned to look back and fell out of the sky. His body struck the earth with such force it was buried deep in the ground.His mother watered his grave with her tears every day for many long months. One day a tiny green sprout sprang up from the earth at that very spot. Before the amazed woman’s eyes it grew larger and larg- er, becoming a towering pine tree, full of branches and pointing to the other brothers in the sky. This next one made me laugh out loud, as I have been overcome by similar fits, though hopefully not from the same cause. again. He stopped again at the big house and this time was ushered in with a smile. The woman of the house prepared a feast of the finest foods and gave him the finest feather bed to sleep on. In the morning the wizard wished to pay her for her kindness but she refused his money. He drew a pine cone from his cloak as he had done before. He said, “Take this then instead. It will help you prosper in the first task you do today.” The greedy woman was looking forward to this moment and had set a purse of gold on her table all ready to count. But in her excitement she sneezed before she reached the table and without thinking ran to get a handkerchief. To her horror she found herself unable to do anything but sneeze, run for her handker- chief, sneeze and run, sneeze and run again. It took three days before she could stop sneez- ing long enough to put away her purse. These last two may not be appropriate for a child’s understanding. The first is everyone’s nightmare in the floodmud. The second describes perfectly the schizoid experience of going from Vernonia into the valley. Taken from a marvelous little book by John Updike called The Twelve Terrors of Christmas , this tiny tome, illus- trated by Edward Gorey, is a delight for the Scrooge in all of us. Electrocution It’s not just the frayed strings of lights any more, or the corroded transformer of the plucky little Lionel. It’s all those battery packs, those electronic games, those built-in dictionaries, those robots a-sizzle with artificial intelligence. Even the tinsel tingles this year. And isn’t it somehow terrible, the way shed tinsel shivers in the gloomy ice-clogged gutters? The Dark Oh, how early it comes now! How creepy and green in the gills everyone looks, scrabbling along in drab winter wraps by the phosphorous light of department- store windows full of Styrofoam snow, mockups of a fictitious 1890, and beige mannequins posed with false jauntiness in plaid bathrobes. Is this Hell, or just an up- turn in consumer confidence? The Two Pine Cones (Finland) Laplander wizard, who was on a journey through Finland, arrived at a town early one Solstice is on Saturday, December 22nd. The evening hungry and bone-weary. Oh, how he wished he could spend the night in a warm days begin to get longer then and we can begin to inn, but with no money his only choices were to find a protected spot outside or beg for a believe that Spring will return, as the good green place to sleep. earth will recover and our lives remember laughter On the edge of town was a small hut made of logs. It would have been so nice to be able to stop walking right there, but the wizard passed by, thinking, “These people have so little themselves. If I go to a larger home the people will be more able to help me.” The next house looked promising, large and well-kept, obviously the N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH home of well-to-do folk. He knocked on the door but at first there was Gary Taylor, Pastor Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator no answer. He tried again and a cold harsh voice called out, “Who are Grant & North Streets, Vernonia 960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia you? And what business do you have knocking on decent folk’s doors at 503 429-5378 503 429-8841 this hour?’ Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Mass Schedule The wizard answered, “Pardon me. I am but a poor wayfarer who Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Sunday 12:00 Noon needs a place to rest his head. Would you allow me a corner by your Nursery available Religious Education stove for the night?” Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m. Sunday 10:30 a.m. The woman answered, “Go away! I have no room for beggars. Move V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH on or I’ll set loose the dogs.” S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST The wizard returned to the poor hut where he was welcomed in by a Carl Pense, Pastor 2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia kind-looking woman and her husband. They shared their small evening 850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia 503 429-8301 meal with him and, at bedtime, gave him their only bed. 503 429-1103 Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. In the morning the wizard wished to repay them by giving the woman Bible Study 9:15 a.m. Children’s Sunday School the ring he wore on his finger, but she said no, she couldn’t take it. The F IRST B APTIST C HURCH wizard then drew a pine cone from his cloak. “Take this then instead. It V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH will help you prosper in the first task you do today.” 359 “A” Street, Vernonia 503 429-5190 The woman took the pine cone and thanked him. Then she turned to Grant Williams, Pastor Sunday School 9:45 a.m. 957 State Avenue, Vernonia her work. Her first job was to measure the linen she had woven the day Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m. 503 429-6790 before. She measured and measured, but, to her surprise, the more she Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m. Sunday Breakfast 9:00 a.m. measured the more there was. It took her three days to measure it all. By Morning Worship 9:45 a.m. that time there was enough linen to last her family for the rest of their S T . A UGUSTINE (C ANTERBURY ) Children and Nursery 10:00 a.m. lives. Youth Group 6:00 p.m. E PISCOPAL C HURCH The story of the poor woman’s good fortune was told throughout the Preschool Tues. & Thurs. 9:00 a.m. 375 North St. (Vernonia Grange Hall) village. Her rich neighbor fretted about her lost opportunity and decided Wednesday Prayer 7:00 p.m. Vernonia, 503 705-2173 she would treat the stranger differently is he ever came back. Friday Adult Volleyball 7:00 p.m. Please call for service schedule. A year passed by and, sure enough, the wizard did pass through town and repose. Church Directory C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS Marc Farmer, Branch President 1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia 503 429-7151 Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m. Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m. Relief Society, Priesthood and Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m. A SSEMBLY OF G OD Wayne and Maureene Marr 662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia, 503 429-0373 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH Sam Hough, Evangelist 410 North Street, Vernonia 503 429-6522 Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Every Wednesday: Ladies' Bible Study 9:30 a.m. Ladies’ Worship 10:00 a.m. Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m. Family Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
