History Belongs To Us

Botticelli- Renaissance Art

April 13, 2026

Probable Self-Portrait Found in the “Adoration of the Magi.” (1475-1476)

Sandro Botticelli

Alessandro Filipepi was born in 1445… the perfect time to be an artist. For the first time in hundreds of years, writers, poets, sculptors, and painters were once again admired and respected. Culture was returning, and young Alessandro had the opportunity to spend an inordinate amount of time with the artists who frequented his brother’s workshop. Botticello, Alessandro’s older brother was a gold pounder. He “pounded” gold onto picture frames, and he added gold to the paintings of other (halos and angel wings). As he worked, Alessandro watched, learned, and then began his own experimentation in the world of art.

As a young teenager, Alesandro was sent to apprentice in the workshop of master painter, Fillipo Lippi. It was there that he assisted Florence’s greatest artist, and in turn, learn to mix colors, clean brushes, and prepare walls (frescos) for painting. He learned to draw, he learned to paint, and through imitation he eventually discovered his own artistic niche. His paintings evolved from looking very similar to Lippi’s own, to becoming the paintings of someone who’d earned both his own name and his own glory. It was in this way that Alessandro Filipepi became Sandro Botticelli.

Fortitude

The Renaissance was a time of discovery and exploration, and it was Botticelli’s time in Lippi’s workshop that allowed him the chance to do both. He explored, and through that exploration he discovered. Influenced greatly by his teacher, Botticelli’s early artwork mirrored his master’s. The colors, pale and muted; the meticulous flow of a garment; the faces full of life and beauty. All of these techniques were similar to Lippi’s, but as time went on, they became his own. He became an individual, and he became a true artist.

Florence was home to many artists, and Botticelli studied and learned from each and every one of them. He was surrounded by greatness, and he spent hours earning his own. At the age of twenty-five, he completed one of his first paintings that he was actually paid to create, a panel that would reside in a meeting room frequented by the most important men in Florence… the painting was called “Fortitude,” and before long, Botticelli would become Florence’s most sought-after artist. He had no equal in his talent for mixing colors. He is, in fact, one of the greatest colorists of all time. He was also a master of the rhythmic line, using his paintbrush to outline the figures in his paintings. In doing this, he used his paintbrush in the same way that you or I would use a pen or pencil, and he believed these lines added a feeling of fluidity and movement to his work.

“The Birth of Venus” commissioned by Lorenzo de Medici

Lorenzo de Medici was one of Botticelli’s most famous and wealthiest patrons. Medici showed great interest in Botticelli and encouraged his friends to do the same. Because of Medici’s patronage, Botticelli had more work than he could handle, and it wasn’t long before he found himself hiring other artists to help him keep up with the demand. His assistants not only helped add the finishing touches but would sometimes make copies of them as well. Unfortunately, some of his assistants took their copying a bit further than they should have by copying and selling Botticelli’s work without his permission. Today, even experts find it hard to tell the originals from the forgeries. From this, we can infer that he was an excellent teacher.

Botticelli separated himself from his peers in that his art took on what he imagined to be “ideal.” Other painters of the Renaissance looked to the ancient Greeks and Romans for inspiration. They studied science, nature, and the human body, so that their paintings would be as realistic as possible. Rafael, Leonardo, and Michelangelo used perspective in their paintings, something that gave their artwork a three-dimensional feel. Botticelli had no use for perspective, and he placed his own focus on that special kind of beauty seen through the imagination… the beauty of fantasy. His work may at times seem flat, and his portrayals may not always seem as realistic as the next master, but a master he was, and his paintings are beautiful.

“The Adoration of the Magi”

Religion

During the Renaissance, rulers and families of importance enjoyed showing off their wealth through their possessions, their homes, their clothing, and the people they chose to associate with. Sometimes, families even competed with each other to be the patrons of the best painters, architects, and sculptors of the time. Ironically… some things never change.

Most Renaissance art depicts religious scenes, stories from the Bible, and other Christian ideas. Botticelli created many religious paintings for the churches in Florence, and for other Italian cities as well. It is important to note, however, that the paintings are sometimes as much about the patrons of the artist, as they are about the scenes they depict. If you look closely at the “Adoration of the Magi”, it is easy to see that the painting is focused on the newborn baby Jesus and his mother, Mary. What you wouldn’t know (fast fact) is that most all of the visitors in the scene are in fact all members of Lorenzo de Medici’s family, a statement to the family’s importance and wealth, and anyone who’d seen the painting at the time of its conception would have seen that power for what it was. Even Botticelli finds his way into the far-right hand corner of the painting… we glimpse the man, as he gazes back at us from the canvas.

La Primavera

The Birth of Venus

Mythology

Botticelli was well known for his paintings of mythological creatures and gods from the ancient Greek and Roman cultures. He loved depicting the fantastical images of the otherworld, and the people of the Renaissance were interested in all of the stories he had to tell. The paintings, “La Primavera” and “The Birth of Venus” are perfect examples of Botticelli’s lighter side. They’re like poetry, and all we have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy his visions. “La Primavera” belongs to Venus, the goddess of love, as she celebrates the coming of spring with Cupid and the host of nymphs and gods who surround them. “The Birth of Venus” once again finds what seems to be Botticelli’s favorite goddess balanced on the tip of a seashell as she’s blown towards the shore, and the other characters in the painting seem to be floating as they assist her on her way, seeing her safely to wherever it is she wants to be.

The Sistine Chapel

Botticelli was a Florentine, and the love he had for his home can be seen in the fact that in all of his lifetime he left the city once, and that was to visit the city of Rome. His stay in the city was brief, but what he accomplished during his time there has and will live on throughout history.

In 1481, Pope Sixtus IV requested Botticelli’s presence in the city. While there, Botticelli joined a number of other Florentine and Umbrian artists, who like him, had been summoned to fresco the walls of the Sistine Chapel. Botticelli was denied any input as to the content of his artwork, but before leaving the Vatican a year later, he had completed three frescoes: “The Youth of Moses”, “Punishment of the Sons of Corah”, and the “Temptation of Christ.” Aside from these three very important works, he also completed at least seven papal portraits which were hung in what was called the “window zone.”

The Later Years

Dominican Priest Savonarola

Savonarola ~ Florence, Italy

During Botticelli’s lifetime he created a multitude of religious paintings, but as I’ve already stated, there was a part of his artistry that leaned towards tales of mythology and the mysteries of the imagination. In the 1490s, things in Florence changed dramatically, as did Botticelli.

In his later years, Botticelli became a follower of the Dominican Priest, Savonarola, and the priest’s influence transformed his life. Savonarola vehemently preached against the corruption of the clergy, encouraged book burning, and destroyed what he considered to be immoral paintings. He became a leader in Florence, preaching against worldliness and excess. Botticelli embraced Savonarola, his teachings, and his beliefs to the extent that he destroyed much of his own artwork, burning his own paintings… disgusted by their pagan themes. For a time, he focused solely on religion, glorifying the creator through his art, but sadly, the time would come when he abandoned his painting completely.

Botticelli died in the year, 1510, at the age of sixty-five, but he lives on through the legacy he let behind, and it’s quite a legacy.

Re-Discovery

“The Crucifixion”

Botticelli’s paintings were forgotten for hundreds of years before they were rediscovered during the late 1880s. Today, the newfound interest in his work has given us a beauty we’d never have seen without the intricate removal of dirt and extensive cleaning that his paintings have endured. How many artists have been forgotten, and how many have never been heard of? Botticelli? He may have been forgotten once, but I doubt he’ll be forgotten again. I, for one, am glad he’s back.

© 2026 J.R. Watkins
Leonardo da Vinci- The Genius

April 10, 2026

Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15,1452, and as the illegitimate son of a rich lawyer, Leonardo spent the first five years of his life living with his mother… a peasant. Leonardo’s talents were many and his genius incomprehensible. Even today, his visions leave us in awe. From the sketchbooks he filled with dreams that at the time seemed impossible came the dreams that have since come to fruition. How many of this man’s dreams have been realized, and would he have been surprised that they have? I think not.

Da Vinci was a painter, a sculptor, and a musician. He was a vegetarian who studied botany, and he purchased birds at the market for no other purpose than to set them free. He was a teacher and mentor for the poor boys he took in as apprentices… poor boys, and in some cases young thieves, children he saved from the streets even when others believed that those boys weren’t worth saving. One of these children, a boy named Zoro, eventually became a famous artist in his own right. He was also the pupil who contributed to many of his teacher’s paintings, and their individual brushstrokes are indecipherable. But if Zoro were alive today I think that his most memorable time with his teacher would have been the flying. Leonardo’s lifelong obsession with flight immortalized Zoro, as he will always be remembered for his leap from Mount Ceccero… a leap that would become legend. Somehow, I think Zoro probably found the broken leg he suffered during the leap well worth the experience, but I doubt that Leonardo found the destruction of his craft worth either. Zoro had taken the flying machine without permission, and no matter the height or length of his flight… he had flown. In retrospect, I believe he likely smiled through the pain.

Another young boy, a thief named Salai, was taken in by Leonardo at the age of ten. Each of Salai’s actions were noted by his master in his notebooks. Leonardo once recorded the words, “THIEF, LIAR, OBSTINATE GLUTTON,” on one of those pages, and Salai responded to these words with a number of drawings; the drawings were obscene. Regardless of the fact that Salai had no discernable talents, he resided with Leonardo until his master’s passing in 1519, and his value can be noted by the fact that he was bequeathed a substantial amount of property.

One of Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest desires was to make a pictorial record of everything in the world, a dictionary of pictures. He was also a self-taught scientist and engineer… years ahead of his time. da Vinci believed that anything was possible, and that we, as humans, should strive to understand everything. He was a Renaissance Man, he was an artist, an architect, a visionary, and an engineer; he was a student, a teacher, an astronomer, and most importantly an inventor. Leonardo da Vinci was quite simply and without doubt, a genius.

The Artist

Little is known of Leonardo da Vinci’s childhood, but we do know that even as a small boy he found delight in drawing pictures. The countryside became his muse, and through his sketches he depicted the world around him; plants, insects, flowers, animals, and most importantly, birds. Leonardo’s love for our feathered friends inspired him in a multitude of ways. His study of their wings made its way into his paintings, and it became quite literally what we see as the “wings of angels.” Later, that same love of birds made its way into his sketchbook, and the wings of the birds he’d become infatuated with became a variety of machines with which man might fly. I admit, to sit in an airport with this man would be an unbelievable thing; a mere five minutes to see the look on his face would be as priceless as anything he left behind.

In 1457, at the age of five, Leonardo left the hamlet of Anchiano, and moved to Vinci where he lived with his father and grandparents. While in Vinci, he received a rudimentary education in Latin, Geometry, and Mathematics before being apprenticed to an artist known as Verricchio in Florence. During his years with Verricchio, Leonardo honed his craft and perfected his gift in the art of painting. By the time he was twenty he’d helped his teacher finish the Baptism of Christ. This painting unknowingly became more than just a Verricchio masterpiece, it became the introduction to a master, and the master is introduced in the form of the angel kneeling in a corner; the angel was da Vinci’s.

Leonardo went on to paint many beautiful portraits; he was also one of the first painters to depict the Mother Mary at play with her son. He gave Mary the realism she deserved, and the face of a mom….. a mom who smiled, a mom who visibly loved motherhood. It was his gift for realism that made him such a great painter; his brushstrokes were so smooth you couldn’t see them, and his talent for transition was unequaled; his paintings gave the illusion of movement, they conveyed life, they were engaging (tell me you’ve never thought the Mona Lisa was looking back into your eyes?), and they told stories. Every canvas was a masterpiece.

The Scientist and the Engineer

War Machine

Siege Tower

War Machines

From the time he was a young man Leonardo da Vinci kept notebooks. They were filled with drawings, inventions, architectural plans, and most revealing of all, the artist’s notations. He was a master draftsman. In 1482, Leonardo left Florence to live and work in Milan; it was there that he painted the famous Virgin of the Rocks and the Mona Lisa, but before he made that historical move he had made a promise to the Duke of Milan, a promise to design and make the war machines that would protect the Duke and his people from their enemies. His sketches were erratic, and their purpose belied his true feelings. Leonardo was a gentle man and he hated conflict; he was against war, and yet he had promised to create machines that would be used for death and destruction. Many of his designs looked as if they’d do the jobs they were intended for. Others didn’t look as if they’d work at all. His sketches included armored cars, enormous crossbows, and horse drawn war machines.

The Mona Lisa (1503)

After the Mona Lisa’s completion, Leonardo’s interest in painting waned as he became more and more interested in the world of science, engineering, and simply using his knowledge to create. The last years of his life were spent away from his birthplace, in another country, as a guest of yet another king, the King of France.

Leonardo’s time in France was like a new beginning, or more aptly, a trip back to the beginning. It is here that Leonardo’s love for birds once again came to the forefront, as he spent hours observing… watching the way they moved in the sky, entranced by their ability to take flight and soar. Over time, his notebooks overflowed with images, some beautiful, others technical…. the beauty of flight… the technical study of wing spans.

Leonardo also studied the vulture, after which, he began to make a very in depth study of the bat, believing that this mammal with its birdlike, winged body had evolved into the most acrobatic creature in the sky. He was mesmerized, and his studies and sketches left us with what would much later become the parachute, the helicopter… the flying machine. He used wire, glue, leather, cane, and the horns of steer in it’s building, but he never realized his dream of flight… that would come years later to the men who took up that dream and realized it for him.

Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are filled with amazing drawings; insects, plants, flowers, creatures that crawl, creatures that walk, and creatures that fly. They were detailed and complete chronicles of his study of the human body, its anatomy, the circulatory system, and the miraculous changes during a baby’s gestation, all of these can be found in the more than 4,000 pages of written manuscript he left behind. Within their pages we not only share his thoughts, we dream his dreams, and we are the generation that has seen many of his dreams come true. They weren’t crazy; they were visionary, and today he is not only seen as a great artist, he is seen for the genius he was. The pictures of a brilliant man, the imagination of an artist, and the precision of an engineer can be found in a collection of notebooks that have long survived his death and continue to pay tribute to the man he was. Parachutes, bicycles, machines of war, life preservers, diving suits, and spectacles; all can be found in their pages. What seems to have been intended to become an Encyclopedia of Knowledge was actually left behind as the ultimate legacy, a legacy left to the world he so enjoyed, and to those of us who appreciate the man he was… simply, a genius.

Bird Wings

Animals

Note: Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks were not only filled with drawings and ideas, their margins were filled with notations, and the pages of these books could almost be seen as an educational diary of observations; Leonardo was a watcher, and he missed nothing, but his genius may have at times been eclipsed by the many things he never completed; so many projects; so little time.

If you look closely at the pictures of his notebooks it is easy to see that what he wrote, he wrote for himself. It is said that he may have written from right to left because it was easier; he was left handed after all, but the majority believe that his writing, backwards, written in a mirrored image, was a form of secrecy, as were the words that were linguistically indecipherable. Had he intended to publish an Encyclopedia of Knowledge his secrecy would be understandable, it could easily be stolen. Had he done it for any other reason just adds another dimension to his character, another mystery that will never be unraveled.

Vitruvian Man

THE LAST SUPPER

No writing about Leonardo da Vinci would be complete without The Last Supper. His greatest work was commissioned by the church and painted specifically for a dining room wall in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in Milan, Italy.

The Last Supper

The Last Supper depicts Jesus and the twelve apostles, his closest friends and disciples finishing their last meal together. If you look closely at the painting, you can see exactly what he meant to convey, and that would be emotion. Each and every portrayal brims with one emotion or another; concern, love, bewilderment; the desire of the disciples to understand what their master has spoken of. Only Jesus seems calm, and he is distanced from the rest of the scene because of that countenance, he seems tranquil, settled, and resolved; while all around him we can see contrast in the anxiety and disorder that engulfs his companions. Leonardo has placed the men on canvas in a way that the viewer sees the illusion of movement, something no artist had ever done before.

The Last Supper was Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest work. Unfortunately, the painting itself is showing its age, and certain parts are hard to see because the paint is wearing away and chipping off. Famous for mixing his own paint, it seems that the colors blended for The Last Supper were not his best. Hopefully, the day will come when it can be completely restored.

Copyright 2026 J.R. Watkins
Bosch – Master of the Monstrous

April 9, 2026

Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus (Jerome) Bosch was a master of fantasy. Described by some as a surrealist, his art depicts the mysteries of the Middle Ages. He was extravagant, eccentric, religious, and rather obsessed with visons of Hell. Viewers find him fascinating, but many also find him to be just a bit detached from reality. Many find his works fanciful; others find them gruesome. Who was this man, and what was the meaning behind his art… his visions? Let’s see if we can find that out!

Herlogenbosch

Bosch – The Mystery Man

Very little is known about Bosch’s childhood or artistic training. What is known is that he was born into a family of artists. His grandfather was an artist, as was his father Anthonius, three of his uncles, and his brother Goosen. It is believed that he was trained at home or by another member of the family. He didn’t participate in formal training; his art was raw, unique, and in its own way quite beautiful.

The period of time during which Bosch was born (around 1450) was distinctly transitional. The Middle Ages were coming to a close, and the Renaissance was just beginning. Artists in Italy and Northern Europe were commonly contracted by churches and influential families. Panels were painted, large canvases were produced, and most all of these works were produced for the glorification of the Christian church. They were sources of light for the believer; colorful expressions of the Bible stories held within church walls. They were a confirmation of faith and a testament to the importance of religion.

Bosch’s paintings fall nowhere within this category, and his works are filled with anything but beauty and innocence. For the most part, his paintings are a pictorial celebration to the torments of Hell. He seems to have been an early form of the Hell-Fire preacher, though he had no need to preach with words, as his paintings did the talking for him, and I think it’s safe to say that they convey his message quite clearly.

Bosch married Aleyt Goyaerts van der Meervenne in the early 1480s. It is believed that she was far older than her husband, but that her social standing and wealth made her an extremely attractive catch for the burgeoning artist. He had no need for a young bride, and Aleyt brought Bosch a sense of financial security, as well as the opportunity to gain entrance into the elite membership list of the Brotherhood of Our Lady.

The Brotherhood of Our Lady was a large and wealthy religious organization, and like many of its other chapters, it flourished during the Middle Ages. Devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary, the group’s contributions to the community supported both religious and cultural life. Bosch’s family members were often employed by the Brotherhood, and Bosch, himself, was commissioned to paint several altar pieces for the Cathedral of Saint John’s. Sadly, none of these pieces were timeless and most have been lost, but the pieces that remain are quite memorable. The man did leave an impression.

Herlogenbosch

Saint John’s Cathedral

The Triptychs

Surrealistic art allows the artist complete freedom of expression, and Bosch was without doubt, one of surrealism’s forerunners. His work is unique, it’s grotesque, it’s hostile, and it’s filled with mysticism. He exaggerates and distorts, and his focus rarely deviates from the Devil’s success with temptation and man’s obsession with the prospect and pleasure found in the things that are both forbidden and evil. Humanity is depicted as weak, easily ensconced by the allure of sinfulness, captivated by feelings of lust, and incapable of turning away from the obscenities that surround it. He found fame in his depictions of fantastical beings and scenes of chaos… mythological creatures with both human and animalistic traits, demons, visions of carnage, and the horror that accompanies true evil.

The Garden of Earthly Delights

Bosch’s most successful period came with his enormous, which were called triptychs, the most famous of these being, The Garden of Earthly Delights. This work consists of four paintings that were created on a series of panels. The outer panel, visible when closed, gives the viewer Bosch’s vision of the Third Day of Creation. Inside, The Garden of Earthly Delights, takes center stage, framed by the Garden of Eden to its left and Hell to its right. Containing over one thousand figures, the paintings are overwhelming in their detail. Humanity is portrayed as stupid and sinful… lust has caused the downfall of man. Using the tradition of illumination, Bosch painted these huge panoramas, as if he were filling the pages of a manuscript. The history of the world becomes evident with close inspection. Look closely and you will see the lush garden, original sin, the progression of that sin, and finally… man’s tortured existence in a dark, fiery Hell.

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

The Temptation of Saint Anthony, painted between 1505 and 1506, is another of Bosch’s triptychs. It is said that Bosch’s spiritual heroes were the saints who held true to their faith even after enduring tremendous physical and mental torture. His favorite was Saint Anthony.

Saint Anthony was a Christian saint, as well as a hermit. Born in Upper Egypt, he gave up all of his worldly goods at the time of his parents’ deaths, placing all of his possessions into the hands of the poor and needy. Afterwards, he relocated to the Egyptian desert, where he suffered from vivid hallucinations. Some claim these hallucinations were visions from God; non-believers attribute them to Anthony’s ascetic life in the desert. Saint Anthony is regarded as the founder of monasticism.

The Temptation of Saint Anthony is centered around what is called the “Black Mass”, the left panel features physical punishment, the right temptations assault on the Saint… blandishments of feed and sex. In essence, Saint Anthony was not only barraged by pleasures of the flesh, but by demonic mental and physical assault as well.

The Last Judgement

The Last Judgement Interior

The Last Judgement Exterior Shutters

It is believed that this triptych is directly related to and inspired by Revelation 4:18.

“And then there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is Fallen, is fallen, that great city because she made all nations drink the wine of her fornication.”

The center panel of this piece addresses an important medieval subject, and an important subject even today… Judgement Day. Who will go to Heaven? Who is destined for Hell? From His seat, we can see Christ making that decision while the earth burns below, as otherworldly creatures take those who’ve been left behind into captivity. We see the chaos that will accompany the world’s end.

To the left of The Last Judgement, Bosch once again tells the story of the Garden of Eden. We can see its perfection, and we can see its downfall, as Adam and Eve partake of the forbidden fruit. In their defiance, they come face to face with the end of paradise, as they are cast from the garden… removed from the place where God protected them.

The right panel once again brings us to the final resting place of those who haven’t embraced Christianity, those who’ve turned their back on their creator. The doomed find themselves in Hell. Fires burn on the horizon, and there’s a starkness that almost makes it seem empty, but it’s not. There is plenty of company, and yet, everyone is alone. Hell seems to be eerily cold and ferociously hot all at the same time.

Bosch- Self Portrait

Bosch was a painter of Dutch descent. The times in which he lived were filled with turbulence and uncertainty. Fear of death followed its inhabitants, as the plague ran rampant through the streets of the city, spreading in and out of every nook and cranny, traveling far and wide… no one was safe. In 1463, Bosch saw the city he called home destroyed by fire, but it seems that rather than sending him into hiding, the tragedies he witnessed fed him the inspiration we see depicted in his art. I see Bosch as a pessimist. His works show no optimism, and every stroke seems to be filled with warnings… timeless warnings.

At the time of his death, Bosch left the world a legacy that included twenty-five paintings and eight drawings. As an artist, he neglected to sign much of his work, and he dated nothing. As a result, many museums and private collections house copies and imitations of his original compositions. As an appreciator of art, I admittedly haven’t yet decided how I feel about his art… his paintings. Do I love them, or do I hate them? What I do know, however, is that I find them to be more than just interesting, and that I would love to meet the artist. Where did all of the doom and gloom come from? What was he really like? Was he as gloomy as the context his paintings represented, or was he as full of life and vigor as the colors he chose? What exactly were his personal beliefs… or was he just trying to evoke a reaction? I guess we’ll never know.

© 2026 J.R. Watkins
Medicinal Plants- Calendula

March 20, 2026

Calendula Officinalis

Calendula, derived from Latin, means “first day of the month.” A native of the Mediterranean Isles, the calendula now appears throughout most of the world. Often called the “pot” marigold, the calendula plant flowers from May through November, and unlike its cousin the ornamental marigold has medicinal properties.

An annual, the calendula stands 28 inches tall and boasts paddle-like leaves. Its leaves are adorned with fine hairs, which are often added to salads. The petals, known for their beauty and bright colors, also find a home in the kitchen as garnishes for a number of different culinary dishes.

When dried, the calendula remains a colorful ornament and may be hung in the home. Dried petals may also be used to steep for tea and promoting healthy digestive and bowel function. The tea may also be used as a gargle for the mouth and throat, as its medicinal properties are known to relieve inflammation. Calendula tea is made by steeping a few teaspoons of dried petals per cup of boiling water. Leftover tea may be refrigerated.

Commonly found growing wild alongside sunny roads and open fields, calendula is commonly used in the treatment of minor burns and wounds. Tinctures are made using entire flower heads or petals alone. The plant, containing essential oils with antibiotic/ antiseptic properties, has been proven to aid in the painless healing of minor wounds, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting the formation of pus. Taken internally, the calendula is said to improve the circulation of the blood. Used topically, it promotes healing in burns and bruises, and it has been used with great success to reduce scarring.

Calendula is available in many forms, and although many remedies can be quickly and easily prepared at home, calendula ointments, oils, and supplements may all be purchased at your local health food stores and pharmacies. Calendula oil keeps skin soft and smooth, ointments enhance healing when applied to cuts and scrapes, and supplements are used in homeopathic medicine to treat bruises. Calendula salve can be used for everything from softening chapped lips to calming diaper rash. I wish I’d known that twenty years ago.

Although those who support the use of calendula are naturalists at heart; the jury is still out and requires further testing and analysis to gather more evidence for its medicinal effectiveness. As with all supplemental remedies, a doctor should be consulted before use. Calendula may cause drowsiness, and it has been known to irritate those with ragweed related allergies. Pregnant women should never use any type of remedy without guidance from a physician.

Source

The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers

© 2026 J. R. Watkins
Medicinal Plants- Rose Hips

March 16, 2026

Rosa Canina

Native to Asia, Europe, and northern Africa, the dog rose is the main source of rose hips. Growing up to ten feet tall, the dog rose, when in bloom, boasts aromatic flowers ranging in color from dark pink to white. The shrub’s stems belie their beauty, as they are covered with sharp, pin-like prickles. These prickles are shaped like small hooks and allow the shrub to grab onto things as it rises to its full height. Nature’s trellis, beautiful to look at, but be careful when you touch it!

The rose hips themselves emerge during the autumn months, replacing faded blooms and fallen petals. The fruits are then harvested, mashed into an antioxidant rich pulp and may be eaten raw or cooked. Pleasant to the palate, albeit slightly sour in taste (similar to cranberries), rose hips are essential ingredients in the preparation of teas, extracts, marmalade, preserves, and purees. Dried rose hips are also used for a variety of things including medicinal purposes.

Rose Hip Seed Oil

Historically, rose hips were and continue to be essential ingredients in hand creams, perfumes, and cosmetics. Aromatherapy favorite, rose oil is said to contain properties that alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Medieval manuscripts lauded the fruit for its ability to “strengthen the heart and taketh away the shaking and trembling thereof.” Although this statement would be debatable, it is inarguable that rose hips do contain valuable, health promoting properties.

High in Vitamin C, rose hips are often recommended for strengthening the immune system. They are also one of the best sources for natural iron, calcium, biotin, pectin, phosphorus, tannin and Vitamins A B1, B2, C, E K and P. During WWII, volunteers harvested rose hips from the wild in order to make rose hip syrup, which was then given to the country’s citizens to supplement their Vitamin C intake. The syrup, which was distributed by the Ministry of Health, was an answer to the limited importations of citrus suffered during wartime (rose hips contain 20 times more Vitamin C than oranges). Other concoctions, like marmalade and jams were regularly prepared and sent to the soldiers at the front.

A natural diuretic, blood purifier, and astringent, rose hips contain many properties that may aid people with bladder control and kidney disease. Naturally occurring acids and pectin may also be useful in promoting regularity in bowel movements and to purge the body of fluids and mucus. The antibiotic properties of rose hips are said to help fight both respiratory and bladder infections, not to mention its use as an anti-inflammatory.

Dried Rose Hips

Rose hip pulp can be prepared and eaten alone or added to other mixtures. A mere tablespoon of pulp is sufficient to meet the recommended dose of Vitamin C for adults. Raw pulp can be easily prepared using a food processor and sieve. The fresh uncooked fruit can then be used to make jelly or simply eaten raw. Cooked pulp requires steeping fresh fruits in water overnight. Upon wakening, the untouched pot would be put on the stove to simmer for at least an hour and then strained. Cooked pulp is delicious on its own, but it’s also a delectable addition to other sauces (try it in applesauce).

Dried rose hips can be used in a number of recipes, the most common of which would be tea. Steep an equal mixture of dried, crushed rose hips and water for a minimum of ten minutes and strain (the longer you steep; the richer the flavor). If you dread the preparation, simply pick up a box of commercial rose hip tea at the store.

Rose hip syrup preparation requires a few additional ingredients and added steps. Fill a carafe with seven ounces of dried rose hips, one half cup of sugar, and one and a quarter cups of 100 proof alcohol; then allow the mixture to sit for four weeks. After waiting the allotted four weeks, strain the mixture and dilute it with three quarters cup of water. Use the syrup as needed for coughs and colds or as an after dinner liqueur. Note that the ingredients make this an adult only beverage.

This last recipe is also an “adults only” beverage. Lovely in color and extremely beneficial to ones health, rose hip wine can be made from scratch (this would require at least two years of aging in the bottle) or by using the following less detailed form of preparation. Begin by removing the seeds of least seven ounces of dried rose hips that will then be steeped in two quarts of your favorite dry red wine. Leave the mixture set for two weeks, strain, chill, and enjoy. It doesn’t get easier than this, and it is delicious!

Since the earliest times people have experimented, studied, and chronicled the benefits of plant life. Rose hips were used by the Egyptians in oils and cosmetics, the ancient Greeks believed the plant’s roots could cure someone bitten by a rabid dog, and children behaved badly by gathering the inner prickly hairs to use as itching powder. Nonetheless, certain benefits of the rose hips have withstood time.

Source:

The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers, @MCMXCIX

© 2026 J. R. Watkins
March 16, 2026

Honey-Nature’s Health Remedy
Honey-Nature’s Health Remedy

March 16, 2026

Just hearing the word honey can calm our senses, spark our memories and inspire desire in our salivary glands. Aptly named, the word honey comes from ancient Hebrew and translates “enchant,” or in other words “to fill with delight,” or to “place under a spell.” Whether it’s found in the scrumptious dollop of gooey sweetness drizzled over a stack of pancakes or in the sticky fingers of an intrigued toddler, honey is indeed delightful. But that’s not even the best part; it’s good for you too……….. all of you, inside and out.

Benefits of Honey

Honey has long been utilized as a culinary sweetener, but unbeknownst to some has been valued just as long for its many healing properties. Honey has been proven to replenish energy, enhance stamina, and strengthen those weakened by physical illness both physically and emotionally. It clears the cobwebs and calms the mind; it promotes peaceful sleep and aids in rejuvenating a lagging spirit.

Also used for treating stomach ailments, coughs and colds, honey is hailed for its ability to relieve indigestion and respiratory complaints. Two of honey’s main components, fructose and glucose are easily absorbed in the human digestive tract and provide an overall calming effect to to the entire digestive system. Interestingly enough, both of these constituents have already been digested by their producers. Honey is also a natural source of water, pollen, organic acids, proteins and enzymes.

Application

The application of honey for its health benefits can take on many forms. Those suffering from hay fever may find adding honey to their daily menu beneficial in alleviating their sensitiveness during allergy season. A natural source of pollen grains, honey is said by some to desensitize the sufferer to the pollen in the environment, allowing for a much easier day to day existence during hay fever’s peak season. Take care to note that for those of you willing to test this remedy, locally harvested honey is recommended. If you’re going to battle pollen, you need to battle the pollen that’s native to your own specific area.

Honey is also said to relieve the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough (do people still get whooping cough?). Available in a number of forms, honey is a readily available kitchen remedy that when taken orally can soothe and relax inflamed lungs and constricted airways. A mere teaspoon of fresh thyme mixed with a fair amount of honey should produce enough relief to make the sufferer comfortable and allow them to relax. Although honey is not a “cure all” for respiratory ailments (only a doctor can treat infection and more importantly asthma), it is a source of relief from their symptoms; relief does not translate “cure.”

One of honey’s less known uses is found in its antibacterial properties. Honey naturally contains the germ-killing substance inhibine. Studies show that honey high in inhibine has antibacterial effects even when applied in low concentrations. Testing, performed with honey from which all sugars had been removed, concluded that the inhibine contained in honey not only inhibited the growth of bacteria but destroyed existing bacteria as well. When applied externally, honey acts as an agent that not only reduces swelling and draws out the excess water from minor abrasions but serves to heal and protect as well. Honey may be applied topically to those less severe wounds and bandaged accordingly.

Purchasing Honey

The purchase of honey is a simple task, but the true appreciator of this medicinal nectar just might find it a journey. Many types of honey are available and found in a variety of different stores and markets. The honey connoisseur will more than likely base their purchase on consistency, taste and fragrance. Bees collect nectar from a variety of different locations and flowers, and the honey they produce is just as varied. My first container of honey came in the shape of a tiny plastic bear. That bear, he hooked me, but as the years have gone by I’ve become a bit more discerning in taste. To begin with, I’d recommend honey harvested organically by beekeepers who refuse the use of harmful pesticides and do not feed their bees refined sugar to increase production. After that, I concede that taste is individual and encourage experimentation and “taste testing.” Indulge your palate, and you’ll find the indulgence well worth the experimentation.

Important Things to Remember About Honey

On a final note, honey is not exactly a weight conscious food. Refined sugar, the dieter’s nemesis, only contains forty-six calories per teaspoon whereas honey contains sixty-four. I’ll take the natural unrefined sweetness in small doses, but the difference for those who overly indulge will eventually show up on the scale. Moderation is the key in either case.

Parents should also take care when giving honey to infants and small children. Always make sure that the honey you feed them is pasteurized. Unpasteurized honey contains bacteria that is dangerous to the very young although harmless to older children and adults. Check your honey carefully, those types of mistakes can’t be taken back.

As with all natural remedies consult your doctor before using honey for medicinal purposes. Health professionals are the best judge of individual needs, symptomatic treatment and necessary medications.

Sources

The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers, @ MCMXCIX“

Antibacterial Effect of Honey,” J.H. Dustmann F.R.G., International Apitherapy Synposium, 1978

© 2026 J.R. Watkins
Babylon and Assyria

March 13, 2026

Sargon

Background Check- Sargon’s Rule

Sargon’s reign of Mesopotamia began in the year 2334 B.C. His empire would rule for the next 100 years. Under Sargon’s rule, the city-states of Sumer united, and the empire’s boundaries expanded. A new capital was built, trade routes were established, and the Sumerian development of cuneiform writing allowed for ease of sending messages throughout the kingdom.

Historians have used Sumerian cuneiform records to gather clues about the way ancient Sumerians lived. Sumerian records include the legends of heroes, poetry, and written accounts of their governing laws.

Beyond their use of written word, the Sumerians made a number of major technological advances. It is believed that Sumerian farmers were the first to use the wheel for farming. Did they invent the wheel? I’ve not heard of any such claim, but the wheel did have an effect on their culture.

Horses and cattle had already been domesticated by Sumerian farmers, but the use of the wheel made it possible for the Sumerians to transport both trade goods and people more quickly. Wheeled plows enabled farmers to utilize larger areas and produce more food, carts pulled by horses could move faster than travelers on foot, and the eventual use of chariots created terrifying new tactics in warfare.

Sargon was both a brilliant administrator and warrior. As ruler, he believed in the “hands on” approach when dealing with his people, and over the course of his 56-year reign he traveled constantly. Moving from city to city was important to this ruler; he didn’t just want his people to know who their ruler was, he wanted them to feel his presence, and they did. Every city he visited suffered shortages of food, money, and lodging when he arrived with his army in tow. Feeding and housing the King and his retinue would have caused the even the most loyal of citizens anguish, as he often traveled with a group that numbered more than five thousand. His visits frequently sparked riots and rebellion. None-the-less; Sargon’s empire flourished, his army became a military juggernaut, and his capital the most powerful city in the world.

Hammurabi

Hammurabi and Babylon

By 2150 B.C., Sargon’s empire had collapsed, but thanks to surviving recorded legends and histories his memory lives on. Rulers would come and go, cities would be built, but it would be another 358 years before another ruler would conquer and reunite the Mesopotamian city-states once under Sargon’s control. That ruler’s name was Hammurabi.

Babylon served as Hammurabi’s home and capital, and as its king, his first major project was the construction of dams across the Euphrates River. Dams gave him the ability to control the flow of the river’s water, and in turn, the power to control the city-states downstream. Lack of cooperation would result in floods or droughts; to work against the king would bring certain disaster to every city-state located south of Babylon’s border.

By 1750 B.C.. Hammurabi ruled all of Mesopotamia, including Ashur and Nineveh. Trade flourished within the Fertile Crescent, and Babylon as the center of that trade reaped massive amounts of wealth. Silver, copper, timber, and wine all passed through Babylon, and Hammurabi fashioned himself “king of the four quarters of the world.”

He used administrative techniques similar to those of Sargon, but he also relied on a centralized bureaucratic rule and imposed regular taxation on his people. Unlike Sargon, he also stayed close to home, preferring to rule from Babylon and depending on territorial deputies to control specific regions. As a result, government costs were more fairly spread throughout the empire.

Hammurabi also preserved his rule by imposing a code of law, which was heavily based on the principle lex talionis, or “law of retaliation.” Discovered in the Middle East (present-day Iran) in 1901, the six-foot pillar on which Hammurabi’s codes are carved in cuneiform was a rare and educational, archeological discovery. And as one of the oldest and most complete set of laws ever discovered, the codex also gives us a view of Mesopotamian culture, customs, and taboos.

The Code of Hammurabi

Beginning with its preamble, the code establishes Hammurabi’s right of authority and states that the gods have blessed his rule and desire that, “…. Hammurabi, the exalted prince, the worshipper of the gods, to cause justice to prevail in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil, to go forth like the Sun over the Black Head Race, to enlighten the land and further the welfare of the people.” The rest of the preamble extols his achievements as king, providing a basis for his worthiness to act as the gods’ prophet.

The Code of Hammurabi is a set of laws that apply to a people ruled by a single government and copies were prominently displayed across the empire. Citizens were not expected to use these codes as a basis for their behavior, but rather they were expected to obey them to the letter. Hammurabi’s codes were detailed and extensive, they set high standards, and they also promised stern punishments. The death penalty was imposed for murder, theft, fraud, false accusations, aiding runaway slaves, and incest, among other things. Most punishments mirrored the offense (an eye for an eye), whereas civil laws were implemented to regulate prices, wages, marital relationships, and slavery. There were even fines for clumsy barbers………. No lie!

But make no mistake, although the code emphatically supported the rights of slaves, as well as free men, and that as much as the punishment mirrored the offense……… equality was not present among the people. Nobles could protect their body parts with a payment of silver……….. commoners and slaves had no such luck. Such is the way of the world.

Assyria Takes a Stand

Despite administrative and legal efficiency, Hammurabi’s empire weakened after his death. The empire he’d created beckoned to invaders and those desiring to expand their own boundaries. Among the first cities to break away were Ashur and Ninevah, both located north of Babylon. Then the wars began, as Assyria set out to conquer the Fertile Crescent in its entirety.

By 600 B.C., the Assyrian Empire had expanded northward into modern day Turkey, while stretching from Egypt in the west to the Persian Gulf in the east. Assyria boasted a fearsome army and major technological advances in warfare that aided them in their conquest. Not to mention the prisoners of war who were forced into slavery and soon to become the empire’s most valued workforce, but that story is for another day…….

© 2026 J.R. Watkins
Buckingham Fountain: Chicago Landmark

March 13, 2026

Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham Fountain has been a landmark in the City of Chicago since its completion in 1927. Known as “Chicago’s front door”, the fountain was commissioned by Kate Sturges Buckingham, as a memorial for her brother, Clarence. Hence the fountain’s official name, the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain.

The Buckingham Business: Grain Elevators

The Buckingham Family

The Buckingham family is well known for its charitable contributions and patronage of the Arts. Originally from Ohio, the family moved to Chicago when Kate and Clarence were children. Their father, Ebenezer, was a businessman who constructed and operated grain elevators. In 1871, a great portion of the city, as well as the Buckingham home, was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire. In 1875, the family moved into its new home on Prairie Avenue, which can only be described as a mansion.

The Buckingham Mansion

Clarence Buckingham

Clarence Buckingham, like his father, was a successful businessman. He began his career working in the family business, but his resume expanded greatly over time. He was a broker and director for both the Corn Exchange National Bank and the Illinois Trust and Savings Company; he served as president of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad Company; he held investments in insurance, steel and real estate; and he was the director of the Art Institute of Chicago for more than a decade. His memorial is a testament to the family’s love for the city.

The Buckingham Memorial

The construction of Clarence’s memorial.

The Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain

Plans for the memorial were announced in January of 1924 when Kate Buckingham made a $250,000 gift to the city for its construction. Note, she also contributed an additional $135,000 for maintenance. The fountain’s design, which was overseen by Edward H. Bennett of the firm of Bennett, Parsons & Frost, was inspired by the Bassin de Latone at the Versailles Palace near Paris, France. Symbolically, the fountain represents Lake Michigan, and the states that share the lake; Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan are represented by the four sets of sea horses created by the French artist Marcel Loyau.

The Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain officially opened on May 26, 1927 and was officially dedicated on August 26, 1927, an event that was attended by approximately 50,000 people, who viewed the fountain for the first time while listening to the orchestra of John Philip Sousa. In the end, costs for the construction of the fountain would total $750,000, something that would cost $13,537,457 today.

The Dedication 1927

The Landmark

The fountain’s location speaks to its importance to the city as both a landmark and major tourist attraction. Standing at the center of Chicago’s Grant Park, a five-hundred acre plot of land, the fountain is located just off the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive. A glance westward provides a glimpse of the city’s skyline, look to the north and south, and you will see the beauty of Chicago’s parks, but when you look to the east… Lake Michigan stands before you in all of its majesty.

The basins, made from carved granite and pink Georgia marble house the seahorses made of bronze. The fountain’s jets, 193 in all, catapult the water up to 150 feet into the air, all while providing a cooling mist on a hot summer day. Visit Buckingham Fountain at night, and you will be greeted by lights and music. The lights being a special request of Kate Buckingham herself.

Buckingham Fountain Night View

Buckingham Fountain, the Skyline, and the beautiful Lake Michigan

© 2026 J.R. Watkins
The Wicker Husband: Middle School Book Club

March 13, 2026

Something New

For Everyone

My choice for this week’s story was exactly that; it was mine. I wanted to do something different, read something I’d never personally read before, and see if my reactions and opinions would be in any way similar to the children’s. It was, as we say, “a dry run,” something I almost never do in the educational setting, but yes, I did do it; this time! I walked into that room completely unprepared, totally unbiased, and best of all, I actually had the pleasure of being a part of the group. Even better than that… my kids accepted me in that role. They let me be one of them… just for a while!

The story was recommended, and although I admit to not having taken even a peek before hand; I did have a co-worker read through before I introduced it to the students. Inappropriate content would admittedly have “shortened” the short story. It simply would have disappeared, and never found its way into our weekly journey, and no one would have missed a thing. Our focus is “great literature,” and The Wicker Husband will never find itself defined in that way, but it was interesting. It did have a theme, it did hold our attention, and it was based on certain life lessons that we tend to forget. I didn’t love this story, but I did appreciate it, and in the end it’s what the kids think that matters…. I’m just the fairly quiet one who sits in the corner, the one who confesses to the immense enjoyment I get from stirring the pot.

Our Author, Ursula Wills-Jones

Ursula Wills-Jones grew from childhood to adulthood in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Her work is quite versatile; she is an author, an artist, and journalist. Willis- Jones’ journalistic career is filled with writing articles and following the political arena.

She now lives in Bristol where she keeps herself busily involved in writing, and also runs a night of live short story performances called Heads & Tales. She is a fan of folk and fairy tales, ghost stories and Victorian adventure novels. She also spends time working in a variety of different aspects within her local theatre community.

The Wicker Husband

A Summary

Fish Market by Joachim Beuckelaer

Our story begins in a small fishing village, and our main character is simply a girl. She has no name, her age is a mystery, and she is known in the village as nothing more than the “ugly girl.” The ugly girl lives alone. She has no friends; she has no family, and she spends no money. Her house goes unrepaired, and she is reviled amongst the villagers because of the aroma that follows and clings to her as she moves through the village. The ugly girl guts fish for a living, and the smell of brine cannot be washed from her hands…. her clothing yearns for a good washing, and its cloth shimmers with the scales she fails to remove.

Weddings and parties come and go. The village girls get married one by one, and the old women take to gossiping just a bit more about the smelly girl who attends the weddings, but yet never moves beyond the back of the church. If she hears their gossip we aren’t aware of it, but it quickly becomes clear that she not only sees her future as one of loneliness, but that she holds hope for little else. Why else would she visit the basket maker? Why else would she offer him six pieces of gold for a husband, and why would the “ugly girl” be resigned to living out her life with the creation of a man she’s never met and a husband made of branches?

The basket maker took his job seriously, and he is touched that the girl has trusted in his ability to weave her a husband. He took his time in the husband’s creation, and he made him perfect in every way. The wicker husband had broad arms and shoulders, an elegant neck, brown hair, and greenish-hazel eyes. When the “ugly girl” arrived to collect her purchase, the basket maker told her that she’d meet him at the church the following day… that her future husband had requested just a little more time.

Before his arrival at the church the wicker husband stopped by the tailor for a new suit of clothes, at the shoemaker’s for a pair of shoes, and at the village tavern for a good, strong drink. He set off alarms wherever he went; the villagers were both frightened and curious by his presence. Who was this man? What was this man, and where had he come from? When he finally arrived at the church, the “ugly girl” was pleased, and the husband she’d had made to order aimed to do just that; he wanted nothing more than to please her.

Their marriage was an easy one, and they were both quite happy. The “ugly girl” no longer smelled of fish, and scales no longer covered her clothing. Suddenly, new dresses were being purchased along with ribbons for her hair. The wicker husband spent his days repairing their home, and the “ugly girl” would come home from work, put on her new clothes, and tie ribbons in her hair. She found that life could be happy, even if it wasn’t perfect.

She learned to blush, she learned to dance, and she was suddenly seen as beautiful. What she didn’t see were the reactions that her transformation had invoked amongst the villagers. Why would she notice that? Why would she ever think that the village gossip would be about her? She’d never noticed before, so why would she notice now? And furthermore, why would she think that what the villagers had always talked about with a tinge of disgust and possibly a smidgen of pity would turn to jealousy? Why would anyone be jealous of the “ugly girl? Why would anyone begrudge her happiness?”

Is Anyone Ever Happy?

The “ugly girl’s” contentment and new found smiles are more than anyone can handle. The wives from the village are jealous that someone so ugly and undeserving should have the “perfect” husband… whatever magic has been woven by the basket maker is no longer seen as magic, and it causes discord in each and every one of the villager’s homes. The women want the perfect husband; they want their own husbands to act accordingly; they want what they don’t have.

A man made of twined branches verbally shares with his wife that he was made just for her, that she is the reason he lives and breathes, but no one hears these words in the way they’re meant. The villagers misconstrue the innocence; the villagers make their own interpretations about things they know nothing about. All in all…. the villagers could be anyone, as the flaws of humanity are harsh. Everyone desires the unattainable, and that is something that never seems to change.

Envy from The Seven Deadly Sins

As the story moves on the village women become increasingly vicious, and then their husbands join in the viciousness. Why? What are the men afraid of? Why join the women? Again, jealousy, the Wicker husband is an object of desire; the women actively try to take him away from his wife, and they become even angrier when they are unsuccessful. Suddenly, an entire village desires to destroy not only a marriage, but the man who was thoughtfully woven for the “ugly girl.” A man who couldn’t eat dinner with his wife, or even sit down by the fire to relax; a man who grew moldy in the rainy season and dried out with the changes in the weather, and yet, this man was a threat to everyone. He and the “ugly girl” had become the source of all of the village’s problems, and they had no idea that they were either blamed or hated. They were simply living the best way they knew how, and they were happy.

The unrest of the villagers grew daily, and they collectively devised a plan to not only destroy the couple, but to rid themselves of the Wicker husband as well. The basket maker was tricked by a deceitful, jealous woman; the Wicker husband was set up to be seen by the “ugly girl” as untrustworthy, as a cheat; the “ugly girl” is pushed to her limits by things she cannot understand, and she then seeks to destroy her one source of joy, but is she successful? Will she ever know real happiness again, and why would people who have never cared anything about her in the past strive to ruin her life? Why do people find solace in muddying clear water?

Towards the end of our story the basket maker hears that he has been lied to, that the man he so carefully created has disappeared, but that the part he’d had in the villager’s plans had backfired. The “ugly girl” had not been left alone at all. He wondered how he could make things right; he wondered if he’d be able to, and he set himself the task to fix it all. One last job; one last goal, and then he could retire. He was done… but he wasn’t finished.

The basket maker’s last creation is where we’ll end. You need to read the ending for yourself. All I can say is that his last creation stirs up many emotions, and almost every one of the “seven deadly sins” present themselves before the story’s ending arrives. Be careful what you wish for!

Discussion….

Um, okay…. debate!

Our discussion began with some very simple questions, “Do we treat other people differently based on their appearance?” “If you’re walking down the street and you see two people…. is there anything that would decide exactly who you would approach first? Have you ever knowingly avoided a conversation with someone because of the way they look-dress-wear their hair-talk-etcetera? Do you choose your friends based on how others will perceive your choices? Do you “not” choose to be friends because of those same perceptions? Exactly how much influence does the way a person looks have on the opportunities they’re given in life… and could your own appearance change the expectations you have of yourself? And lastly, have you ever done something to make someone feel bad about something good… been jealous enough of someone else that it made you feel better to cast shadows on their happiness… and did it make you feel better?

It took awhile for the students to warm up, but in the end, we came to the conclusion that judging others by their appearances is something we’ve all done… something we are all guilty of. And after that, the students began to open up. I mean, how much better does it get than hearing your teacher admit to her own flaws!?!

The boys talked about how much easier it was to approach a pretty girl when she had a friend who wasn’t quite so pretty; the friend was the perfect go between, and so much easier to talk to. The girls felt the same way. Let’s face it, at this age it’s all about crushes and so often about the crushes who in NO WAY deserve the attention, but it’s the boys and girls who maybe deserve that attention, who are overlooked and become the means to the other. Ah, they have so much to learn!

From there we moved to the girl problems. Funny, boys this age never seem to have the same problems as the girls do; they simply don’t care. Girls move in packs; they’re like wolves; there is always an alpha and there are many omegas. Note that my comparison is not meant negatively…. anyone who has raised a daughter or worked with teenage girls knows this to be true…. and let’s be honest, I was a teenage girl once too. Uh, quite a while ago to be sure, but nonetheless I was, and I’ve seen both sides of the pack first hand. As a result we grow up wishing in many cases for the opportunity to say “I’m sorry,” and also in a few cases to ask “why?” Unfortunately, it’s more than occasionally we see that some of the “teenage” behaviors never seem to go away; I told the kids that I make it a point to stay away from the women I view as perpetual teenagers, and one of my girls looked me straight in the face and said, “Then you’d never hang out with my Mom.”

Anyway, the packs, or possibly I should refer to them as cliques, change on a regular basis. The girls were open to discussion about the mistreatment of someone not quite so pretty, or possibly someone who didn’t wear the appropriate labels, but they never applied it to themselves. That is where the debate came in…….. my boys called them on their behavior, they called them out on the fact that they couldn’t admit to being a part of the problem, and they both tried and convicted the girls in their presence. Not all of the girls mind you, just the ones that they felt deserved it. The boys were merciless, and they had no trouble at all talking about things that had been happening amongst the girls all year. They talked about how a very beautiful young girl had been ostracized out of jealousy, and how the boys had backed that same girl up and watched out for her, and how that had made it even worse. I learned a lot, and yes, what I learned has brought out the “protective” me, the Mama Bear. I watch and I listen, but sometimes I miss things I shouldn’t. I guess I need to look a little harder and spend a little more time listening.

The end of our discussion involved the behavior of adults, and quite frankly, it surprised me. They talked about their parents. The boys mentioned competitive sports and their father’s and sometimes mother’s comments about their teammates. It seems that the boys are really not as envious of their peer’s athletic abilities, as their parents are willing to demean those of their children’s peers who are viewed as exceedingly talented. The boys appreciate their teammates’ presence, they respect their abilities, and they see the comments made by their parents as downright ridiculous. One of the boys even described a parent who attends our school basketball games as someone who “waits for the best player to make a mistake so he can announce it to the entire gym.” He talked about how this man’s son was consistently humiliated by his father’s need to humiliate. None of the children understand this…. but I do. Parents are the biggest downside to competitive sports; I stopped sitting in the stands at youth hockey games when my son was eight years old, and I didn’t sit back down again until he turned eighteen.

The girls saw the same things in different ways. A mother’s comment about a skirt being too short, and then the shopping trip in which a similar skirt was pulled from the rack, accompanied by the, “I think you’d look good in this.” One of the girls said that she’d actually once told her mother that she’d said a friend looked completely inappropriate wearing the same dress she’d picked out for her daughter to take into the fitting room. I guess her mom wasn’t happy, and needless to say, the dress wasn’t tried on. That’s motherhood; our children forget the things they don’t want to hear or remember for only as long as they have no need to remember, but they do remember.

Quote of the Day!

“EVERYONE GETS JEALOUS, AND EVERYONE ISN’T NICE SOMETIMES, BUT IT’S WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE THOSE THINGS IN YOURSELF THAT EVERYTHING GETS OUT OF HAND. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE THINGS WE DON’T LIKE IN OTHER PEOPLE DON’T SHOW UP ON US. NOBODY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR HAPPINESS; WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT & WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO TRY to TAKE IT AWAY FROM ANOTHER PERSON.”

E.B., 13 YEARS OLD.

TIME IS UP….

FOR TODAY ANYWAY!

An hour isn’t an awful lot of time once you get the kids talking, but you have to end it somewhere, and there’s always another story. The conclusion of our discussion was based on the age old saying, “be careful what you wish for.” That this is an accurate statement was unanimously agreed upon, but I can’t tell you why because that would give away the story’s ending. Seriously, wishing might just get you the one thing you want, and then again, it might also get you something you want nothing more than to give back. If you’re wondering who this woman is, give The Wicker Husband a closer look. You can find it online, and the ending is worth it!

© 2026 J.R. Watkins