Zurich Citizens News, 1973-04-26, Page 14PAGE 14
l' in my y I l' in ( ot v
I almost hesitate to tell you
about this but I really can't
think of another topic for this
column and deadline time is
here. So I've decided to throw
caution to wind and relate the
strange tale of my ivy plant.
During the winter on one of
these cold bleak days with no
sun, only bitter biting wind, my
daughter presented me with a
small but healthy ivy plant.I
was overjoyed. I've always lov-
ed green things but I'm no gard-
ener... and it doesn't take my
green things long to become
brown things and finally dead
things.
"It is no wonder, " chastises
my husband. "You forget to
water them. The poor plants
thirst to death. "
"He's right, I told myself.
This time it will be different.
This time I will watch over my
ivy plant, I will water it faith-
fully, I will see it flourish into
something lovely.
The first few weeks were fine.
I set the ivy in a bright but not
too bright spot. I tended it faith-
fully. It rewarded me by shriv-
elling up one entire branch and
allowing it to fall limp and
lifeless onto the floor.
After that, I lost heart. I must
admit I fell off caring for my ivy
plant. I neglected to water it
regularly and except for the
times when the cleaning lady
sloshed it with liquid, the poor
plant was left alone.
And then one day not long
ago, I passed by my ivy plant
and took a look at it there,
struggling valiantly for life.
Its soil was parched. Its leaves
were turning yellow.
Suddenly I remembered a
movie I'd seen with Barbra Stei-
sand called "On A Clear Day
You Can See Forever." I rem-
embered that in the movie,
Miss Streisand had played the
part of a gal who had a talent
for making things grow. And
she claimed the secret was in
taling to her plants...treating
them as living, breathing souls.
"What the heck, " I thought.
"Maybe there's something to
this business of talking to plants,
I've heard others talk about it.
Maybe I should conduct a small
experiment in that direction."
Anyway I moved my sickly
looking plant fromits lonely
corner in the diningroom to the
centre of attention in the
middle of our kitchen table.
"There you are ivy plant, "
I told it. "Welcome to the fam-
ily."
That evening when hubby
and the children came home
and were seated around the kit-
chen table for dinner, I expl-
ained my plan.
"From now on, " I explained,
Ivy (that's her first name,
surname plant) will sit in the
middle of our table. She will
be one of us. And each time
you sit down at the table for a
meal, a snack or for any purp-
ose, you are expected to add-
ress Ivy with a civil tongue as
you would any member of the
family."
You can imagine the reaction
that I got from my family. My
two teenagers looked at each
other, then at me, then at their
father and finally back at each
other with that expression that
means, "She's at it again."
My husband took the suggest-
ion in his usual manner --un-
moved.
"Pass the potatoes," was his
response, "...and don't burn
ivy
"
Our youngest son wasn't quite
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
certain that he was involved in
this latest family adventure.
"You haven't spoken to Ivy, "
I chided him.
The poor little guy waved
rather weakly at the plant and
muttered, "Hi Ivy, " in his
smallest voice, glancing quickly
at his father to see if he'd lost
favor with his favorite man.
"It's okay son." my husband
assured him. "We have to do
these things sometimes to keep
mom happy. "
Well I'm here to tell you
Summer
(continued from page 1)
the sewer is $9, 221. The Board
will prepay 50 percent of the
actual cost.
Mr. Vintar read a letter of
thanks from Steven Gould, of
Stratford, a successful contest-
ant in the singing division at
the Stratford Kiwanis Music
Festival, who received the
scholarship donated by the Hur-
on -Perth Board.
The Board members accepted
the invitation of the Ursuline
Religious and staff of Immacul-
ate Conception School in Strat-
foed to attend the golden jubil-
ee celebrations on May 27 at
the school.
Oscar Kieffer of R. R.1,
Bluevale, chairman of the
building and property commit-
tee reported that new steps will
be installed at one of the ent-
rances to Immaculate Concept-
ion school by the Unit Company
of Woodstock at a cost of $185.
the lowest of two tenders; that
a chain link fence will be put
up along Queen Street at the
school as well; that the inciner-
ator chimney at St. Mary's
School in Goderich is to be rais-
ed four feet for draft. Mr. Kief-
fer also reported there is still
about $4, 000 left from the Prov-
incial -Municipal Incentive Prog-
ram for winter work, which he
expects will be used up in comp-
leting a painting programin the
separate schools. To date $4,
159.68 has been paid out for
labour in painting from the prog-
ram, while cost to the Board
for paint has been $1, 982.77
less 20 per cent paid by the
program.
David Teahen, of Stratford,
chairman of personnel commit-
tee, reported his committee
will meet with the teachers for
the second time in Seafotth on
April 25 to negotiate salaries
for the next term.
The Board approved the pur-
chase of two new buses. One
will be a 66 -passenger bus and
the other a 60 -passenger. It was
not revealed where the buses
will be located. With these pur-
chases the Board will own seven
buses.
Francis Hicknell, of R. R. 5,
Seaforth, chairman of transport-
ation committee, reported that
new mirrors are being installed
on all board -owned buses that
will allow the driver to see if
any children are walking in front
of the bus, before putting it into
motion.
0
ABOUT PEOPLE
The Women's Auxiliary to
the Blue Water Rest Horne will
meet at the Home on Wednesday
evening, May 2. Roll call will
be answered with a bazaar item
for the May 26 May Day Tea.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Billington
Sr., of London, were Easter
weekend guests with Mr. and
Mrs. Jack Turkheim.
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
folks, it has worked. Ivy Plant
is flourishing like no ivy I've
ever seen, Her leaves shine. Hei
stems are strong. She's shooting
out new sprouts all over the
place. Arid when you speak to
her I swearyou can almost see
her sway with pleasure.
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 19'72
There's only one thing I'm
worried about. What happens
when she gets, too big for the
table?
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