To complete my cabin narratives, I feel compelled to tell you about my father’s obsession with The Wizard of Oz. Somehow, I always thought he had read the book many years ago and fell in love with it then. I was mistaken. He fell in love with the movie, and only now is reading the original book. At the cabin. Out loud…while everyone else is trying to read their own books. I brought a highly intellectual book to read and needed all my concentration to solve the mystery of the Highlander and his woman (snicker), and I was very involved in this deep plot when my father would burst out “Did you know in the original Wizard of Oz that Dorothy changed into the gingham dress after she landed on the witch?” No dad. I didn’t. My mom and I would go back to our books. A few seconds later “Did you know that it was really very violent and the Tin Man cut off his own arms and legs and head with this enchanted axe, and that’s how he became tin?” No dad. I didn’t. Sigh. What was the author on?
In my head, I was thinking he would stop if I ignored him. Should I look interested? It was pretty interesting, but I was reading my own book. He must be done now. Okay, back to Scotland. “Did you know that the witch sent 40 wolves to kill them first, but the Tin Woodsman killed them all? Ha. Dorothy woke up to a pile of bloody wolves.” Okay dad. At this point, my mom is irritated. She starts reading out loud and I decide to join in. Ha. Dad goes back to his book, but only after saying loudly “She tried to send crows to peek out their eyes and bees first!” We think he is done. Not so. A little while later, “Did you know that Dorothy’s slippers were silver in the book?” Really dad, I did not know that. A little while later “and the Wizard appeared differently to all of them.” If you would like to read more about The Wonderful Wizard of Oz check out the original book. Beware, it causes you to cite random Oz facts wherever you might go. It is habit-forming. I actually missed hearing these facts on the drive home so every once in a while my husband would repeat one new fact my dad told us. Lastly, I would like to share these photos that are magical. Nothing to do with Oz, but I like them all the same. The stream was getting bits of ice around it and my daughter ran down there and had me take a look.
“Imagination has brought mankind through the dark ages to its present state of civilization. Imagination led Columbus to discover America. Imagination led Franklin to discover electricity.”
~L. Frank Baum