They were as tall as I was at about five years old, but they had been here since the dinosaurs. The fractals blocked the sun and revealed a brighter green. The soil was dark, and the stems grew straight from the ground like a miniature forest. The fragrance was earthy and sweet and green. I felt I was under a sea of ferns, quiet and comforting. We had asked for it to part a path, and there it was. We walked through the sea often, daily even, to get to the other side. We spent our summers on an island where the sea of ferns was. The island was in the middle of Lake Apsey. It was named Island B....
One year, Mom and I drove down to Guelph for Christmas. My second eldest sister, Diana, was a mother-hen of sorts at her university residence and had managed to have a suite and access to the empty buildings over the holidays. That year, many people visited to celebrate. Being the youngest, I had very little in common with the others. And after attempts at inclusion, I chose to exclude myself. I nabbed all the “Champagne of Ginger Ales,” found a common area with a couch and television (which displayed endless channels of white noise) and proceeded to do what I enjoyed. On road trips, I always pack scissors, needles, and thread. I’m glad I did this time! In solitude, I...
