by Bob Brooks
He scrunched up his nose and said, “Sometimes it tastes like castor oil, but it’s still good advice.”
Bartholomew smiled and rose. “I’m confident that she will help you. Now, it’s late, and we both need some rest. I know I do. It was good to see you again. I’ll stop by tomorrow to see how your visit went.”
Bartholomew knew that if he said he was coming back, it was more likely that Morris would visit the doctor.
Morris also rose and gave Bartholomew a hug. “Thank you for stopping by. I hope you sleep well.”
Bartholomew said, “And you too, Goodnight.”
He left, finished his rounds and returned to his warm treehouse.
The next morning, Bartholomew arose at 9 bongs of the hamlet church bell. He felt stiff and needed to stretch his wings a few times. Each morning it was the same and reminded him that he was not as young as he used to be. One more good stretch and he was ready to begin the day. He hoped Morris was visiting Dr. Brigit. Before he returned to Morris’s, he decided to visit Grenby Groundhog. After a quick breakfast he flew to Grenby’s hut on the southwest shore.
Grenby was the weather forecaster for Ballymore. He lived in a wooden and thatched hut, which was mostly underground. The hut was ancient. It was the ancestral home of the Ballymore weather forecasters, who were always groundhogs. Grenby was eccentric and preferred to keep to himself. He rarely left his hut or the surrounding forest. Whatever he needed, he had delivered to him. From mid-November through mid-February, he went to the lowest level and slept for most of the time. Consequently, there were no weather forecasts in the winter. Winter forecasts were unnecessary because everyone should stay indoors; at least, that’s what he thought.
Groundhogs have a long tradition as weather forecasters, and Grenby continued that tradition. He learned his skills from his father and has kept them a closely guarded secret. In general he observed the trees, the caterpillars, the wind, and the sky. Add in some intuition and you had a weather forecast. He was right about 90% of the time. Although he didn’t have any close friends, he and his forecasts were well respected.
Each morning he got up early, made his observations, created his forecast, and posted it. Posting was done by hoisting colored flags up a flagpole near his dock. Most of the animals could see the flagpole from their homes. To ensure complete Ballymore coverage, a second and even taller flagpole was erected in the middle of the island. The Swans, Stoddard and Sean, were responsible for hoisting the flags on that pole. That was not their main duty, however. Their job was to locate and deliver needed items to Ballymore from afar. That meant a lot of long-distance flying for them.
There were six flags raised up each pole each day. The first three flags were for the current day. The fourth and fifth were for the following day and the lowest was for the following five days.
Unlike most groundhogs, Grenby didn’t provide seasonal forecasts. He thought that it was too inexact a science. Here is a listing of the flags and their weather meanings:
First Flag
Blue - Fair
Green - Cloudy or Partly Cloudy
Red - Rain
Black - Heavy Rain
Purple - Fog
Yellow - Ice
White - Snow
White/Black - Heavy Snow
Second Flag
Blue - Calm or Light Winds
Green - Moderate Winds
Red - Strong Winds
Black - Storm Winds
Third Flag
White - Very Cold
Green - Cold
Purple - Cool
Blue - Mild
Yellow - Warm
Red - Hot
Fourth Flag
Blue - Fair
Green - Cloudy or Partly Cloudy
Red - Rain
Black - Heavy Rain
Purple - Fog
Yellow - Ice
White - Snow
White/Black - Heavy Snow
Fifth Flag
Blue - Calm or Light Winds
Green - Moderate Winds
Red - Strong Winds
Black - Storm Winds
Lowest Flag
Blue - Nice Weather
Green - Moderate Weather
Red - Poor Weather
Black - Storm Weather
Purple - Variable Weather
The flag sequence for today was: green-green-purple, black-black, purple
As you can see from the codes, the most perfect weather would be Blue-Blue-Blue. As you can also see, Grenby was predicting a storm for tomorrow.
Grenby’s Flags
When Bartholomew arrived, Grenby was sitting in an old chair in front of his hut. He was slurping soup from a large bowl. He liked to eat and didn’t believe in exercise, so he was paunchy. The chair had become a bit too small for him. More truthfully, he had become a bit too large for the chair. He was wearing his favorite red and white striped pajamas with a green bathrobe. Actually, he was more noticeable than his flags. He didn’t look chilly even though it was only March. Bartholomew smiled when he saw Grenby and thought, he hasn’t changed and never will.
“Good morning, Grenby, how are you?”
“I’m fit as a fiddle,” Grenby laughed. He knew he looked ridiculous but didn’t care.
“Some March winds coming?” asked the owl.
“Yes, I think there will be a significant storm,” Grenby replied. “It might last one or two days. Check the pole tomorrow.”
“I certainly will.”
They continued to chat for a few minutes, mostly about the weather. When that topic was exhausted, it was time to leave. Grenby had more soup slurping to do, and Bartholomew was ready to visit Morris. They said their goodbyes, and Bartholomew flew off.
Meanwhile, Morris had arisen early. He didn’t feel like eating much but had a little porridge with milk because Bartholomew had remarked that he looked pale. After breakfast he got dressed and began the walk to Dr. Brigit’s cottage. He had always avoided going to doctors and didn’t particularly trust them. The main reason he was going today was because Bartholomew had asked him to, and he didn’t want to disappoint his old friend. It took about twenty minutes to get there, and he was tired when he arrived.
Dr. Brigit Badger took care of the animal residents in Ballymore. She was an herbal specialist and kept a large garden of medicinal plants. Besides Bartholomew, she was the only other animal who could read and write. Her patients always said she was very understanding and kind. They thought very highly of her.
Her cottage was typical for Ballymore. It had stone walls and a chimney, heavy wooden windows and doors, and a thatched roof. Inside were a parlor, kitchen, and bedroom. Because the cottage served as her office, it had two additional rooms. There was an examining room and a room in which a patient could stay overnight if needed. That room was rarely used. Animals who didn’t feel well would much rather stay in their own homes. The animals felt the same as people about that.
Dr. Brigit greeted Morris at the door. Morris didn’t know her well, and he felt uncomfortable. Besides, she was a doctor.
He told her that his energy level had been down for about a month and that Bartholomew had suggested that he pay her a visit. Dr. Brigit invited him into her office. She closed the door, and they sat down. She was middle-aged and slim for a badger. Dr. Brigit didn’t look like a doctor because she wasn’t wearing the long white coat that people doctors like to wear. Instead, she had on a pair of bluejeans and a green shirt. She probably had been working in her garden.
She sensed Morris was nervous and tried to put him at ease by asking him questions about his furniture making. He was happy to talk about that for a while.
“Now, let’s see how I can help you,” she said and began by asking him a bunch of questions such as:
How are you sleeping?
Does anything hurt?
Have you been losing any fur recently?
Has your taste for food changed?
How is your eyesight?
Then, she did a brief physical exam. She looked in his eyes and ears. She looked in his mouth. She listened to his heart. She looked at his claws. She tapped on his tummy.
After the looking, listening, and tapping, she said, “Morris, I believe your metabolism is slowing down as you are getting older. This means that you would have less energy. I also suspect that you are not getting the proper exercise or nutrition for a muskrat your age. Come, let’s take a walk out to my greenhouse.”
Since it was March, only a few plants were growing in the garden behind the cottage. He noticed some fresh rows of dirt, so planting season had begun. They walked to the back of the garden where a medium-sized greenhouse was full of green and brown and yellow plants of many shapes and sizes.
In the greenhouse, she approached a group of tall green plants with yellow flowers.
“The leaves from this plant will increase your metabolism. You should regain your energy, but it could take a couple of months before you notice an effect.”
She picked several leaves from the plants and tore them into small pieces. After putting the pieces in an envelope, she gave it to Morris.
“Now, put one piece of leaf in a cup of hot tea every evening. Make sure you eat fruits and vegetables everyday. Porridge is also very good. Try to walk for half an hour each day if you can. I’m sure you’ll begin to feel better within a couple of months, but I would still like to see you again then.”
She paused. “Do you have any questions, or can I offer you a cup of tea now?” she asked.
“No, thank you. I must be getting home,” he answered. “Thank you very much for your help and advice. I’ll do my best to follow it.”
“You’re welcome,” said Dr. Brigit kindly.
She took his paw in hers. “I hope that you feel better, and I believe you will. Sometimes I feel poorly also, but I can’t avoid seeing a doctor as easily as you can. Each morning I have to look in the mirror.”
Morris laughed.
“Remember that I can help and that I want to help. Please don’t hesitate to visit.”
“Yes, Dr. Brigit. Thank you, again,” he said.
The doctor’s visit had gone very well, he thought, but it would be best to leave now. That way, nothing bad had a chance to happen. He thought she was a nice doctor and was glad he had come. More than likely, he would return in two months as she had asked. As he walked home, he noticed how beautiful the pond looked. He was feeling better already.
As Morris was walking home, Bartholomew flew back across the pond to the muskrat’s cottage and landed on his weatherbeaten dock. Morris wasn’t there. He correctly assumed that he was still visiting the doctor.
As he looked out over the pond, he noticed that the wind had shifted to the south and was becoming stronger. He also saw that clouds were building in the western sky. Obviously, some unpleasantness was coming. The weather changes frequently in Ballymore, and it was March. A strong storm would not be unusual.
Bartholomew was used to flying in wind and rain, although, he much preferred to observe them from the warmth of his cottage. Stormy weather created the perfect time to settle into his favorite chair by the fire with a good book. Currently, he was reading a book on sailing ships and found them fascinating. This evening he would continue with it. Just then, Morris came ambling through the trees and interrupted his sailing thoughts. Bartholomew noticed that Morris had a spring in his step. The owl was pleased and amused at the same time.
“Good morning, how was your appointment?”
“Hello, Bart. Despite my worries, the visit went very well. Dr. Brigit said she thinks I have a low metabolism and gave me some herbs for it. She said it might take about two months to notice improvement. She’s a nice doctor. I like her.”
Morris smiled.
“Now that’s news I like to hear. I’m happy for you,” responded Bartholomew. “Yes, I agree, Dr. Brigit is very nice.”
“Thank you. I feel better already.”
Morris laughed and then looked over at the western sky. He also noticed the clouds.
“It looks like a storm coming.”
“Yes, Grenby’s forecast for tomorrow is black-black. It could last one or two days,” said Bartholomew. “We will see.”
“I was thinking about another issue I would like to discuss with you,” he continued. “You are an excellent furniture maker and have a lot of valuable knowledge. I’m sure there is someone in Ballymore who would love to learn furniture making from you. Have you ever considered taking on an apprentice?”
“Yes, I have, but I’ve been too busy to follow up on it. Now, kite season is here, and there will be even more work,” said Morris. “Everybody loves to play with a kite.”
“Yes, and the kite contest will also be here soon. However, kites are a lot easier to build than most furniture. This would be a perfect time to bring on an apprentice,” suggested Bartholomew.
“Yes, it would. I sure could use the help,” answered Morris. “But I don’t know anyone who might be interested.”
“Let me ask around.”
“Thank you very much. I appreciate that,” said Morris.
Morris was very happy that Bartholomew would look for an apprentice for him. He felt uncomfortable about asking himself.
Suddenly, Branna Bluebird landed between them on the dock. The bluebirds provided the main communication system in Ballymore. They delivered verbal messages during the day as long as the weather was acceptable for flying.
When she was working, Branna maintained a very formal attitude. Before speaking, she smoothed her feathers and stood straight up. She was very professional. Some might say that she took her responsibilities and herself too seriously. In any event, she did an excellent job as did the other bluebirds.
She began, “I have a public message for Bartholomew Owl from Grenby Groundhog. The weather forecast for tomorrow remains the same. Rain is likely to begin sometime in the morning. End of message. Does Bartholomew Owl wish to respond?”
“Thank you, Branna. There will be no response,” answered Bartholomew. “Now that you have completed your message delivery, how are you and the family?”
“We are all fine. Thank you. I’m sorry, Bartholomew, but I can’t stay and chat because I have another message to deliver.”
“All right. Take care,” said Bartholomew smiling.
“Goodbye, Branna,” said Morris.
She left immediately and soon was out of sight.
“I also need to be leaving,” said Bartholomew. “I wish you a good day and night. Don’t forget to drink your tea.”
“Take care and thank you again,” said Morris laughing.
It was quite considerate and somewhat surprising that Grenby sent a weather update to Bartholomew. Grenby was really a good fellow if you got to know him. Unfortunately, few knew him well because he kept to himself.
Bartholomew had an idea that someone in the Beaver family might be interested in an apprenticeship under Morris. He flew to the beavers’ home, which was just southeast of Morris’s place.
The Beaver family included Burton and Beatrice and their children Birch, Belva, and Birk. They had a nice stone cottage, which was very well kept. They were very industrious and had built the stone and wooden parts of many of the cottages in Ballymore. Their own cottage was of the standard design except that it had a second entrance, underwater from the pond. That entrance was probably used more than the above ground one.
The beavers were all at home and received him cordially. They invited him to sit at their dining table, and soon a pot of hot tea was set down.
Bartholomew spoke to Burton, “I came to let you know that Morris Muskrat is seeking an apprentice to learn furniture building. Because your family works with wood, I thought I would mention the opportunity to you first.”
Without hesitation, Birk, the youngest of the three children, jumped up and pleaded, “Can I, Papa? I would love to learn furniture building, and it would go well with the work we already do. Can I, Papa?”
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Burton Beaver was a cautious animal, and not surprisingly, he responded, “The opportunity does sound interesting, but let’s talk it over as a family.”
“Thank you for letting us know about this, and we’ll make a decision soon,” he continued.
Bartholomew said, “If you decide to apply for the position. Please go and talk with Morris. I know he would like to choose someone soon.”
He was pleased that Birk was interested in the apprenticeship. Birk was a conscientious young beaver, and Bartholomew had always liked him. He stayed a bit longer to talk and finish his tea. Then, he said goodbye and flew home.
The wind was stronger now, but since it was mostly at his back, he had no difficulty.
When he got home, he was a little tired and thought a light lunch was in order. Then, perhaps some reading or a nap would be nice. In the past when a storm was coming, he usually needed to put in extra time making sure everyone was prepared and safe. He thought that he had better rest now, while he had the opportunity. After lunch he retired to his comfortable rocking chair. Looking at the flames from the fireplace, he found himself reflecting on the past.