Bonnette Acres

Today as I sat down at my desk, I noticed something beside my notebook. It was one of my barrettes from when I was a little girl. I looked at the barrette a little closer, it was once a pink barrette in the shape of a bow, but now the pink has started to fade into a yellowish orange. It reminds me of when I was young and I would look at some of my mom’s things. Like looking through her faded scrapbook, seeing pictures that the edges had started to turn another color, and even seeing her wedding dress change from the beautiful white color I had seen in pictures. I didn’t think of my mom as old but I realized then things don’t last forever and with time things change. Seeing my own things starting to fade, makes me realize I am getting older. I am not saying I am ancient, but I am no longer the young girl I was. Time has passed. Things have changed and I am no longer playing with dolls and clipping my hair back with bow shaped barrettes.  Those many years ago I would dr...

Summer 2009. Lushnjë, Albania I had been told to take care of the weed explosion that had sprung up almost overnight in front of our church. We had just had a downpour the week before, and now the sun was out with a serious intensity. I was wearing an old t-shirt and some long beige painters pants. I debated on changing into my shorts I brought with me, but figured the pants might protect me from loads of insect bites. I walked to the back of the church, found some tools and got to work. The weeds were no longer ones you could easily grab a chunk out with your hand, they were so tall it felt like you were in a mini forest. I had been hacking through the bush for an hour when I looked up and saw someone coming. It was Vasili, my “Albanian Grandpa”- well that’s what I called him. We didn’t say much more then “Hello”, and he gestured to the tools and started working on the other side of the yard. We worked for hours slicing down the weeds with sun beating down on our necks so strong...