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Marla Bishop: Chocolate, Friends, and the Passing of Eyore the Donkey

February 17th, 2015

Filed under Crawford, Featured, Marla's Moments, News, Opinion

Marla spring horses 3-14WEB

Spring horses Fruitland Mesa 2014 – Marla Bishop

Chocolate, Friends, and the Passing of Eyore the Donkey

By Marla Bear Bishop – Crawford, Fruitland Mesa and beyond correspondent.

Knowing that I always say whatever holiday coming up is my favorite, I’ll admit I love them all. But honestly it’s hard to beat Valentine’s Day. Happy Month of Love to all of you!

This is the month to review your heart, wear red or pink, eat candy usually chocolate, make love not war, treat yourself to a glorious month of knowing your worth and the heart you have. Another excellent time to smile at everyone, give thanks for your people who love and respect your unselfish ability to say you love forever and mean it. Love the North Fork Valley; love your view, your pets and your life-style. Spoon with your lover, pet your dog, groom your horse. Thank your lucky stars that you have a heart that continues to beat.

I’m loving Ray and the guys at Hotchkiss Automotive right now. They who set me up with my new mode of transportation. I was too excited to drive so Ray had to play chauffer and car salesman. It reminded us of a time long ago (yes, when I was younger and he was a baby.) We had driven my ailing Honda around so he could hear the noise under the hood. Ray had told me back then about the globe willows that we passed…they drank a lot of water.

A big thank-you also to the previous owners who are shy and humble folks not wanting me gushing over them. They took such careful care of this, my new companion on four wheels. I gave up my previous loves, the truck that was everything until it wasn’t and the awesome sedan, Ruby. I could not trust them any longer. I’m wishing them well and hope that they inspire their next loves in their new lives. We shall all go forward into this great fresh year!

Feeling the love for all the girlfriend’s who gathered to share clothing, food and drink, merriment in the form of a yearly clothing exchange up here on the mesa. We all see some of our clothes go around the block five or six times, somehow returning from foreign closets to the pile at the end of the day going to thrift stores in the area. I brought home some clothes that made me chuckle when I actually took the time to try them on and every now and then a treasure that was given up by someone tired of it, a reoccurring theme it seems. Thanks this year goes to hostess’s Suzi and Ruth.

In keeping with the tradition of chocolate this time of year, Neighbor John went to Montrose and bought about one hundred dollars worth of chocolate at the Russell Stover’s outlet store. Last year’s Valentine box gifts included. He bought at least twenty pounds of goobers, those chocolates that were mistakes being misshapen etc. He bought two boxes of turtles or whatever they call those amazing clusters. I requested that he and daughter Janie bring me home an assortment of Jelly Belly’s and that request was met. Because of all this over the top candy consumption the entire neighborhood feels kind of sick and definably fat. Visitors to o’l John predictably would be offered a wine cooler but now there is the certain threat of all this boxed and bagged caloric devilry.  It seems that John is also producing his own fudge because there isn’t enough sweet fat circulating for him, I know this because I saw him carrying a bag of the homemade stuff into his acupuncture session with Josh at the Hotchkiss Memorial Hall.

I just suffered another barnyard loss. My heart of a donkey, Eeyore went on to greener pastures apparently without a struggle. No one knows how old he was, not even a guess, but hopefully ancient. I have so appreciated an outpouring of support from the community during this hard time. Eeyore along with Scotty Jr. who also passed on not too long ago, graced the streets of Crawford, Paonia and Hotchkiss at every single parade for the past several years. It makes me laugh to remember that last Cherry Days Eeyore loaded into his trailer, arrived in Paonia, dressed for the parade and then just like that, decided he was going to stand under a shade tree in the nice lady’s yard and hang out. No more parades! He enjoyed the attention of passersby and that was enough for him. Big E, we will all miss you!

Winter is upon us and here’s hoping you are getting your fair share of soups on the stove made with last summer’s vegetables and valley grown meats. Hope your desserts are made of the apples and peaches you hand picked and hope the fire you burn is warm and friendly. Hope your arms embrace those that deserve your love and most of all, hope your heart is willing to fill with all good things. As always, put some measurable distance between yourself and anyone not wanting the best for you. Happy Valentine’s Month to all my Valentine’s of the Valley and beyond!

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