Feeding Jane’s Crow

Oh Jane…

So this painting is one of those collaborations
in which I play only a very minor part.
I really had nothing to do with this one.

Early on in the pandemic
Pat and Jane made a pact.

They would call each other
to check in almost daily
for support during the isolation of lockdown
her on her island
and Pat in her log cabin
and to provide at least one good belly laugh between them.

That conversation has been ongoing ever since
and it is honestly the highlight of my day
to come home and hear the latest story from Jane.

I secretly think they each go out of their way
to make stuff up just for the chuckles
but I’m here to witness that we, none of us,
would have made it through without that connection.

So Jane has this crow
which she feeds.

She reports that it visits each day
and goes so far as to follow her on her daily walks
through downtown Menemsha
and apparently gives her what for
if she forgets to offer up the daily snack.

One day Pat comes over to the studio in tears…
well actually every day Pat comes over in tears
which are mostly from laughing
at Jane’s stories.

Apparently Jane had set out a bag
with some sort of crumbs
for her crow.

It was a stormy day
and the wind
or possibly the crow
had blown the bag onto her roof.

Pat sternly warned Jane not to jolly well climb up there after it.
This is something you must remember
as her friends know
to warn Jane not to do.

Then they got to giggling about how Pat
suggested Jane get a tiny little umbrella
for the storm soaked crow
and they both lost it
which is why the tearful laughter in the studio
and
as ever
those cheeky Muses were in the corner
listening.

It was the work of a moment
to find a teacup from Oversouth
and the delicate whalebone handled parasol
had been perched on the top of a picture frame
hanging on the wall of the log cabin dining room
ever since Mr. Morse handed it to me on our last island goodbye.

I stripped away all but the tidal current from the basin
and then just stood aside.

There is personal meaning to the bling.

But that’s
personal.

Sail on Lady Jane
and your little crow too.