__________________________________________
{Straight From the Heart} *Bluebonnets for Uncle Martin* 5/17/00
__________________________________________
Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"
If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to forward
it on to family and friends. If this has been passed along to you and
you want to join the list, just send a blank email to: Thunder27@aol.com
I appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism, so feel free to
write me (Michael T. Powers) and let me know what you think!
__________________________________________
Bluebonnets for Uncle Martin
By: Dixie Frantz
Spring...
It's my favorite time of year in Texas. I love takin' at least one
long drive during the season for the express purpose of wild bluebonnet
gazin'. And I challenge anyone to think of a better reason to burn up
a pint or two of gas, even with the hefty price tag attached to fuel
these days.
My mother is particularly fond of the season. Always wondered if it
had anything to do with her roots. She was born in Holland, the tulip
capitol of the cosmos. I remember every spring during my growing-up
years how she filled the beds with splashes of colorful petunias,
yellow and orange marigolds, perky periwinkles, and any other variety
of bedding plant the nursery carried. Now that she is getting older
and living in an apartment, I know she misses those days playing in
the dirt.
It's probably why mom was the first to sign up for a day trip with the
local senior's group to picnic and bluebonnet gaze. But then she got
the "call." Her brother Martin had unexpectedly passed away. So
instead of enjoying the bluebonnet crop, mom would travel to California
to bid farewell to a beloved brother.
The kids and I drove mom to the airport the next day, and after
strolling to the furthest gate, we said our tearful goodbyes. "I'll
see you in two weeks," mom said, waving one last time before making
the turn to board the plane.
I didn't know my Uncle Martin very well. Only that he was one of my
mother's five brothers, one-half of a pair of identical twins, and
milked cows most of his life. My parents moved every few years around
the lower forty-eight beginning when I was about six years old, making
family connections a tad difficult. A couple of years ago I did make
a solo trip out to California to visit and interview my Uncle Klaas
(pronounced "Klaus") for a book which still remains lots of scribbles
in a spiral.
During my fact-finding mission, Uncle Klaas generously related stories
about growing up in German occupied Holland during World War II.
My mother was a young girl at the time, so his "young man" perspective
was very different than the stories I had heard mom tell around the
kitchen table growing up. I remember a particular event that involved
my Uncle Martin.
It was near the end of World War II, the fall of 1944 to be exact.
Klaas was 19 years old, and picked up again by the Germans for some
offense, probably for working in the Dutch Resistance. Klaas was sent
by train to a work camp in the poorest province of Holland he called
the Brushland. The area was noted for growing straw-like material
used for making brooms.
He recalled how his "work" duties consisted of digging eight-foot wide
ditches called "tank fall" ditches. The German theory was the wide
ditches would keep enemy tanks from advancing. "But when the tanks
fell in the ditch, they made a bridge for the others to go over," my
uncle related with a snicker.
Well apparently, there was some rule in the work camp that a prisoner
could go home for a period of time if you could find someone to take
your spot. One particular winter day, his brother Martin unexpectedly
showed up to take Klaas' place. The exchange was made without a hitch,
only the Germans didn't know that Martin had hidden his "papers" in
one of his work boots. In the German occupied world outside of the
camp, a person couldn't make a move without their precious "papers."
The camp authorities would have surely confiscated his had they known.
Martin stayed in the camp for a couple of days and then just took off
for the long walk home. Since Martin hadn't been there long, he wasn't
missed by the guards. And Klaas just never went back. Martin had
just celebrated his 18th birthday. The war ended several months later
for Holland.
The day my Uncle Martin was buried, I drove eight hours to Austin and
back with the kids to pick up our college kiddo for Spring Break.
The bluebonnets along Highway 290 were lovely, but not as thick as
some years. I thought about how my mother should be gazing over the
fields of wildflowers today with her senior group, instead of burying
her brother. I think that now I shall forever think sweet thoughts of
my Uncle Martin as I take to the open road each spring to gaze on the
lovely bluebonnets.
Dixie Frantz
dixielaugh@aol.com
Email Dixie and let her know what you thought about her story!
*****************************************
A little bit about Dixie:
Dixie Frantz writes a newspaper column for five local newspapers in
the Houston, Texas area, contributes to Heartwarmers and 2TheHeart,
and freelances for a national women's magazine. She is also a wife,
and mother to Katie, Ricky, and Mimi.
___________________________________________________
Thought For The Day:
"There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its
length: a quiet conscience."
(Euripides)
Verse for the Day:
"If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God."
1 John 3:21
Kid's Thought For The day:
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five
and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father
and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to
treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy
(the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Women should not have children after 35. 35 children are enough."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger,
but it won’t taste good."
(Joe Paterno)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"When I was born I was so surprised I didn't talk for a year and a half."
(Gracie Allen)
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html