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Saturday, November 10, 2007

The Tale of Mary McRainey

Ms. Mary McRainey had the most beautiful gardens in all of Southern Illinois , at least that's what all the tour books said. Mary had lived in Sand Creek for the last couple of years.Before that she had lived in an institute for the insane, but know one knew that. She had a nervous breakdown after her only son drowned in a fishing accident. And had spent two years in that horrible place, where one can only imagine the torment and torture you go through while there.

Her sister Ellen came to visit her one week -end and found Mary clean and dressed. That was the first time in her many visits to Mary that had happened.

" Ellen I am ready to go home." She said this to her sister very
solemnly.
Ellen didn't dare tell Mary that her husband had sold the house and left with another woman just a few months before. She waited until she got her home.

" Mary, I've got bad news, Evan has sold your home and left." Ellen's lip trembled.

"I know Ellen, I've known for a awhile. He ran off with Cheryl Miller. One of the kind nurses told me about it repeatedly." Mary's bitterness was quite evident as she spoke .
"I've lost everything Ellen, except for you." Mary sobbed quietly in her hands as Ellen wrapped her arms around her sister's slender shoulders.

The two sisters lived quietly together for 2 years when tragedy struck again. Ellen was killed in a car accident on the way home from work one night. Ellen had been the only family Mary had left in the world. Now she was totally alone...

Mary sold the house she and Ellen had shared and after the insurance had been collected she moved to a new city. Sand creek was 3 hours away from where she had lived with Ellen and no one knew her there and that's the way she wanted it.

That's when Mary began her gardens. It started as therapy for all the grief she had endured.She needed something to take her mind off the horrible sadness she felt on a daily basis.

Mary had a two story Victorian with 2 huge lots, and she completely filled them with plants. Not just any plants, but heirloom plants and exotic plants.

She also had the most amazing life like statues in various parts of the garden. Statues of people to be exact. When asked where she got her statues, Mary always replied that she had made them herself.



She had gotten on the garden tour just a year after moving to Sand Creek. During the tours Mary still felt a little lonely, but
when everyone would leave Mary always made a point of telling the statues good night. Because of course Evan and Cheryl were there, and the kind nurse who had taunted her relentlessly in the hospital. Those statues, so life like, so real.....

by Nita Barrow- Zimmerman

todays song...blue moon with heartache by roseanne cash

13 comments:

Robin said...

Wow! What a suprise twist! Eerie! I enjoyed the story Nita!

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Robin: Thanks. I love stories with a twist. xoxo Nita

Anonymous said...

that was a lovely story. Have you been to the gardens? are they still maintained? she made her own beautiful world- that's just a great story! xxxooo (hugs) calamitykim

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

kim: Thank you- sheer fabrication, though it may resemble some poor spirit some where... xoxo nita

Dena said...

Nita, I SOOOOO enjoyed this story. I write sci-fi myself and all of my shorts have to have a twist. This one was right up my alley! You need to keep writing dear friend, you have talent.

Hugs,
Dena

~Red Tin Heart~ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
~Red Tin Heart~ said...

dena: thank you. i would like to read one of your stories sometime. i love to write, short stories are my favorite. i write poetry too and i am getting ready to post some soon for this create a piece of art everyday . thanks again. xoxo nita

Anonymous said...

I almost spit all over my computer screen when I got to the end. Love it. How could a story so sad make me laugh like that. The sheer irony.
amanda

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Amanda: i like it that she got revenge... far too often we don't see others pay for what horrible things they do to us and others. It is not a very Christian thing i know, but sometimes people need to reap what they sow here on earth, especially those that torture us on a daily basis. I would never do something like this, but it sure is fun to write about it. xoxo nita

Anonymous said...

Wow, where was that on Halloween? I love the twist! I hope you post more of your short stories. By the way, if you'd be so kind, I'm in need of opinions on a card I posted. I haven't done anything like it before. You've got such a good eye, that I value your opinion.

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

vickie: thank you! i will be over in a bit. xoxo nita

Unknown said...

Heehee- a House of Wax ending. :) If you have never seen the movie, watch the old, Vincent Price version, not the modern remake!

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Nathalie! I love Vincent Price!! He is my favorite old time movie actor. I love him in the Raven, did you know the boy who plays Peter Laurie's son is Jack Nickolson? His first movie roll ever. I think I have seen every movie by Vincent Price. xoxo Nita

About Me

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I love beauty, whether it is in nature, literature or art. And I love music... My day feels incomplete if I haven't had a chance to listen to some good music.. I also love beautiful souls, and kind hearts.

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Copyright@ 2007- 2013 by Nita Barrow- Zimmerman
all rights reserved. Please do not use my original art, photos, or reprint my writing without asking me for permission. Thank You...

Pick out one person a day to encourage.


Please pray for the protection of Israel.
And for the Jewish people who live there. May God give them the strength they need to defeat their enemies.
“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.”
—G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936); writer, critic
"There will come
a time
when you believe
everything is finished.
That will be the beginning."
Louis L'Amour
(1908-1988)

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next;
virtue is doing it."
David Star
(1851-1931)
exert from
The Philosophy of Despair
It is never too late to be who you might have been.
George Eliot
Friendship is a sheltering tree.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
~Wishes are free~
So why not make one?
Psalm 138:7

Though I am surrounded by troubles, my God will preserve me against the anger of my enemies. He will clench His fist against my angry enemies! His Power will save me. The Lord will work out His plans for my life- for His faithful love endures forever.

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