After nearly 17 years since Angelkeep Journals’ debut in The News-Banner, most would think writing it would become routine. “Blehhz” blasts the incorrect or “NO!” buzzer.
The hardest part of writing Angelkeep Journals turned out, over the years, to be determining topic. For example today’s column, No. 858 in the chronological order, like all preceding publications, has a new topic never previously used. It’s true a few animals such as bunnies have been highlighted on multiple occasions, but each had a unique story, activity, observation, or adventure that needed broadcast to nature lovers.
Who knew when then-Commander Mark Miller asked for the consideration of a weekly column that so much variation could be documented from a little spot on Earth called Angelkeep? Mr. Miller, whom by the way this writer considers emulate-worthy and a Journalist Giant of a Guy, probably expected this novice columnist’s words to peter out at about 10 weeks. The coterie of News-Banner editors’ and owners’ meetings likely included the ongoing discussion topic of, “How do we shut him up?”
But as a great columnist once said, “I digress.”
One winter, after a summer and fall of collecting so many Angelkeep Journals topics, the decision was made to offer “Throwback Summer” topics all winter. Angelkeep’s writer loathes winter (opposite of wife Gwen, she whom I love, and she is a magnificent Angelkeep Journals raw manuscript editor.) Thus it was that an entire winter avoided the topic of the season in favor of the joy of blissful summertime.
“I digress.”
I’m getting to it, really I am… Today’s topic selection became crocus. Croci (or crocuses are “out of season” this late into spring. A good timely column, typically with a topic selected weeks ahead of publication, required some guesswork. Who would have known that crocus would begin in earnest at Angelkeep in 2023 on February 12? That’s the earliest crocus bloom of this millennium sans a February 6 debut in 2012.
Topic at next week’s N-B Staff Meeting: “Why does Alan document annual crocus bloom eruptions?”
Every day in February the croci continued to open, or at least held their petals tight to withstand all that Mother Nature threw their way for the rest of the month and most of March. They spat their glorious colors in the eye of 60 mph winds, bouncing hail, not to mention multiple blankets of snow. Team Crocus 2023 deserved recognition, but other topics prevailed on the agenda.
Crocus bloom held a special endearing heart’s place due to the fact that this writer competed against his father’s gardening skills up to the time of his death the year before Angelkeep became a certain residence’s proper name. For the past 23 years the crocus challenge continued, strongly skewed one-sided to be sure.
On “First Crocus Day” a pointed finger was raised to heaven, back to the bloom, and again to heaven in a taunting “won again” gesture that I knew Dad would laugh at, if he actually ever saw it. The game was that serious, but both loser and winner enjoyed the day crocus fever began, regardless of the trophy holder.
Did Dad look down and drool? “Blehhz” blasts the incorrect buzzer again.
Perhaps Dad might have been able to view Earth from heaven, but his alternative in heaven was looking upon the face of Jesus. No, the showmanship of the alerting finger jabs for First Crocus of the Year, were for earthly benefit only. There are memories that simply could not be ignored when one reached the senior decades of life.
Angelkeep hosted crocus of multiple varieties. Some erupted earlier than others. The amazing fact of 2023’s debut bloom, beyond the date, included the fact it was one of the later and larger varieties. Typically the first-born crocus of the year fell to a yellow mini crocus, which had violet stripes on only the outside of each petal. They began appearing a couple of days after the white cousin crocus, with its violet shades adorning the outer side of its petals, plus its brilliant yellow-orange center. It simply screamed “Easter” two days ahead of Valentine’s Day. No other vegetation yet considered blooming.
Thus it was that First Crocus of 2023 failed to get immediate and proper adoration from Angelkeep Journals. Today, with a Throwback Winter Angelkeep topic, that wrong had been hopefully forgiven.
Note to self: Check the last page of today’s paper for a News-Banner Want Ad begging for applicants as a new weekly nature columnist. Will N-B Chiefs, Doug, Mark, and Dave determine today’s topic the straw that broke the crocus’s back?
Mr. Daugherty is a Wells County resident who, along with his wife Gwen, enjoy their backyard and have named it “Angelkeep.”
