Friday, December 12, 2008

 These are bird of paradise blooms, starting to fade...


I remember the first time I saw one. I was 17, and had hitch-hiked to California from Colorado, where I grew up. I just stood in front of it and tried to square it with any other life form I had ever encountered, and couldn't.


They are as common as roses here. There's a giant variety, too, that blooms white. I have a few. The biggest is 25' tall. The seeds are fringed with an insane orange fuzz...They are African natives, but seem to like California weather well enough.  



I started thinking about them because of this night's work. A boy, raised in confinement, has found a way out. He is starting across the chaparral desert--and will soon see a bank covered with these blooms. And he is going to have to stand in front of them and try to believe that they are real. I hope he can. He is so damaged. So isolated and hurt. This might be the angriest story I have ever written.

5 comments:

Nikki Carson (Katie) said...

Wow. Those are beautiful. Are they Birds of Paradise flowers, because I have those at my house during the summertime. I hope everything is going well. I haven't corresponded with you in a few days. I hope we can communicate more!

Sincerely,

Katie

kathleen duey said...

Katie,

Hello!

Yes, those are Bird of Paradise flowers. They just never fail to amaze me.

I got the email through my website, and will just answer here this time...I don't have any signings coming uo now. I am in the "write,write,write," phase of my existence!

If you have a few writing questions, put them on website message board and I will get to them ASAP.

I have to tell you that I can't correspond very often because so many people write to me now that I just can't keep up. I am sorry!!
I will answer when I can.

Hope all is well with you and your family, and that your writing is flying...
Merry Christmas!!!

Back to work for me...

kathleen

Nikki Carson (Katie) said...

Kathleen,

That's fine. We just got a Christmas tree today. Of couse, all we've put up is the angel and the top..

Katie

nomore said...

Beauiful...I remind once my 3 palm trees.....It was the symbolic trees to the Christians I know...It was also very beautiful...
Over 2 meters height....My grand father gave it with the house....
I'll going to write it down on my blog soon.....I started read your a book....
Merry Christmas.....

kathleen duey said...

nomore,

I don't know why I never answered you. I am sorry! We had a tree when I was a girl that my grandfather had planted and it was like a heritage--we all took care of it.

I hope you liked the book and that you and your family are all well and happy.
k