CHAPTER 4: THE GARDENER

The time was the early sixties there was political unrest in Guyana schools were on vacation and my aunt Yvonne was out on strike so was my uncle Wilfred. There was rioting in the capital Georgetown, and political factions marooning the streets. It was getting close to Easter my brother Clarence and I were facing the daunting prospects of going without a kite. In Guyana it is traditional to fly kits on Easter Monday symbolizing the resurrection of Christ from the grave. We were moping around the house feeling sorry for ourselves and being lazy. 

Because Guyana experiences bursts of heavy rain at any time and extreme heat and sunshine the grass grow at an aggressive pace. It therefore happens on one of those hot spells that a Gardner came by and offered to cut the grass on our aunt’s Yvonne’s lawn for a small fee.  My aunt Yvonne quickly agreed.  We as boys stood and watched in amazement as he used his scythe to swipe through the tall grass. Due to the extreme heat and humidity the Gardner had to take a break which he did. We sat around him in my aunt back yard and chatted with him and watched in amazement as he sharpened his scythe.

Once Upon an Easter

Illustrations for Once upon an Easter are not for sale.  However attached painting 'Tasty' can be purchsed for $170.00. Once upon an Easter is also at Barnes& Noble.com in eBook format.

CHAPTER 3 PART 2 MILKY

After swimming for hours we return to banks looking for our cloths which we hid under some shrub.  Only to discover to our horror that they were gone.  My older cousin while we were having fun had crept up and grabbed our cloths. This presented a big dilemma how do we get home without cloths?  Hands between our legs and over our bottoms. Picture that?  Total humiliation as we walked down the street the girls of the neighborhood to see us and laugh at us; then licks like peas when we got home. And if you don’t holler loud you get more licks not an easy proposition never the less, we have to journey home. May be we wait till dusk? Still not good proposition dusk is chilly and cold mosquitoes and Sand flies bite your tail. 

Once upon an Easter.

Illustrations for Once Upon an Easter are not for sale, however Sunflower is on sale for $170.00. Once Upon An Easter is also available in eBook format at Barnes&Noble.com.

Chapter 3 Milky

Feeling the nostalgia of youth and some of the happiest moments of my life I present to you my followers the remaining chapters of Once upon an Easter. Attached to this blog is art "Blue Diamond" which is on sale for $400.00. Illustrations for Once upon an Easter are not for sale. Once upon an Easter is available on Barnes&Nobel.com in eBook format.

With the coming of Easter also comes Easter showers and Campbellville always floods.  Mr. Kerry our neighbor had a speed boat which he would float down to the wide trench at the back of our homes. The trench was called Milky.   And there gather all the boys of the street and we would go speeding up and down the trench. This was the water way where all the boys in the neighborhood learned how to swim.

Peter one of the older boys would lead us out to the middle of “Milky” floating on a log then take the log away and leave you in the middle. This called for desperate action frantic scramble to the shore line suddenly we were swimming.  Going to swimming in Milky was not however approved by my aunt Yvonne. Therefore after concocting lies as to our reason for leaving the house we would end up at “Milky” swimming naked as we were born. Best way to swim one felt a sense of freedom. 

ONCE UPON AN EASTER

Today Monday 04/13/2020 in Guyana and most of the Commonwealth of Nations it is Easter Monday and a holiday. On this day kite flying and picnics and parties are celebrated. However today I mourn for all who have died and are sick due to the COVID-19, pandemic sweeping the world.

                          CHAPTER 10: JOURNEY

When we got to Kite Man’s room he was already dressed and waiting for us he had a broad smile on his face and his eyes sparkled with anticipation of the day. He wore a green suit with white shoes. And said “We go fly in style”.  With breakfast over we headed to the Back Dam where all the kite flying took place.  Our kite was so big we had to hitch a ride on a donkey cart and bumped our way to the Back Dam.

Once upon an Easter.

The full story of Once upon an Easter is available in eBook format at Barnes &Noble.com. Illustrations for Once upon an Easter are not for sale. However feel free to inquire of any other art seen on previous blog. 

CHAPTER 3 BOTTOM HOUSE

Most families are not up that early.  However because Ramada’s Father worked on the Sugar Estate he had to be up early. We headed to Ramdas bottom house.  His mother had brisk fireside going the air was filled with the aroma of hot Cocoa and Coffee brewing, and Roti being clapped by Ramada’s sister. On the next side of the fireside, his mother roasted some Eggplant “Bologna chocker”. Two plates were prepared we sat in a hammock and ate using our hands as the cool morning breeze blew.

Once upon an Easter.

Moon Light $170.00

Vivaldi $170.00

Both Moon light and Vivaldi are framed and on sale for $170.00

CHAPTER 2 RAMDAS

Its 5 am in the morning and Ramdas comes calling.  {You really had to know the guy. He woke me up by throwing tiny bean seeds at my bedroom window}.  I spring out of bed before he wakes up the whole house hold. It is also bird-catching season. The morning air is filled with different sounds of birds singing and chirping.  And just before sunrises you here the Cooks crowing around the neighborhood it is a festive time for all birds.  Ramdas and I plunge ourselves into the surrounding fields with high grass.  Ramdas already had a bird in a cage, attached to that cage was a mini cage with a trap door.  He also has some poles stuck with chewing gum remains. We wait as Ramada’s bird in the cage whistles away. We were hoping his singing would attract other birds like “Kiskadee” or a “Towa Towa”.  We were hoping to trap one or two in the little cage or on the gummy poles.

Once upon an Easter.

Moon light is till available now fully framed and on sale for $170.00

Chapter 1 Part 2 Easter Vacation

With nothing else to do but wait, we settled under the huge Guinep tree with its large branches and cool tropical breeze blowing. Ramdas however saved the day “would you believe it he had a flour bag full of mangoes”. We ate as much as we could.  Now it was barging time. We dealt the rest to the Iguana’s to get them off the cricket pitch. By the time we got home from cricket, Choe Chan’s mother had prepared for us some Chinese cake with some cold Sorrel drink.  We ate then left and went to the back of my home to start making our own cricket bats.  Sometimes, we made then out of old coconut branches that had fallen from the trees and at other times out old pieces of wood we found around our yard. The start of Easter holidays.

Once upon an Easter.

Illustrations for Once upon an Easter are not for sale.However  Attached Art Anansi is on sale for $170.00 and is now featured at a current art show at S.Q.P.A South Queens Park Association from the 1st March to 7th March

$170.00