The Bees, pt. 2
There is not much going on in the Texas Hill country ghost town, Saturn. Grain crops, grass crops, cattle, chicken and turkey production and a little oil that we keep on the down-low. Lots of quartz and limestone, iron, silver and copper. Oil means there is coal and coal means diamonds and other gem stones. We didn't talk about that.
Sharecropping and baling hay was steady work.
Martillo was about the only person around my age. His mother was our curandera and Martillo was learning too. They knew many disciplines and could cure body, mind and spirit. She taught me, too. But her education and practice was far beyond any wisdom I could ever hope to achieve or acquire. She kept me with her as much as possible.
The night was dimly lit by a waning moon. Martillo showed me once where a hot artesian well joined with a fresh water flowing creek that poured a rivulet of warm water through the limestone in a little waterfall. It was a beautiful place obviously cultivated by the migrant workers and sharecroppers and vaqueros over a long time. A secret little place. I loved to shower there. In the night it looked ultraviolet. The soft sound of the water was hypnotic.
I heard feet crunching on the rocks and I was sure it was Martillo but innocently and ignorantly unafraid.
In my life that memory helps me bring clarity to many things.
Martillo smiled and tossed me my towel and bath gown.
I slipped the gown over my head and took Martillo's hand.
Martillo took me deeper into the grove of nut trees and oaks that surrounded the waterfall.
Behind the clutch of trees were planted fruit trees, lush foliage, honeysuckle vines, herbs, spices and flowers and citrus. Mushrooms were cultivated and produced copious amounts of spores, as well as poppies, chamomile and various weeds and grasses.
Bee hives were constantly tended and the bees kept in that garden were specially supplied pollens and molds and fungi and the honey was amazing.
"Honey is the nectar of the Gods, Sonrisa. In most cultures since before recorded history the person who owned the land that sustained a community were considered Gods. Not all Gods are benevolent Gods. Honey is the product of the components that make up a God's Kingdom. It is the essence of all that lay within."
Sit down with me
Have a nice warm cup of tea
Taste the local honey
And tell me what you see
"Some God's nectar you will find disagreeable, Sonrisa. Never make yourself get used to bad honey."
Martillo offered me a big portion and he drank it too. The bees were happy.
