The Spirit Of Verona - Page 26

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author: E. Verna Turner
Page 26

The Keeping family woke up earlier than anybody else. Jenna was so excited that day including the whole family. Remember today is the best day of her life. It was her Nuptial Day with Loren Torres. Just as they lighted the kerosene lamp, the Torres family lighted their kerosene lamp almost at the same time. Then after that everyone's too busy doing their specific task assigned to them. This will be the longest day ever, murmured Amelia and she was there downstairs on the ground providing the early breakfast. The rest of the clan woke up and helped at the chapel and at the reception area. The Russo family is busy wrapping their gifts for the bride and groom. Of course the busiest is Josephine and Arthur who help their daughter fit in with her beautiful gown of the finest Victorian lace and Italian silk brocade. Josephine sew the wedding gown so creatively will make the bride blush with pride. The chapel was ready, all lit with lamp light and candles and well decorated with the most beautiful flowers and they all are fragrant you can smell the air so sweet scented with fresh ylang-ylang, camia, jazmine and kalachuchi.

The elders helped arranged the wedding reception, the table and chairs made of bamboo are also finely decorated to suit the occasion. The food, the drinks are ready. Amelia, Stephano and the kids helped. With much ease and orderliness in the whole compound everything seemed so smoothly prepared just right in time. All they were waiting downstairs is for Josephine and her family to come down.  One more time, Josephine made sure that her daughter is radiantly ready for the special rite. Her make-up, hairdo, the beautiful gown...Then Rosalee gave the nice boquet of flowers to her sister. "Sister this bouquet of flowers are just right for you." Rosalee said. "Thank you dear sister!" said Jenna with a big smile. Rosalee mixed different kind of flowers in her bouquet but mostly of ylang-ylang, baby's breath, white calla lilly tied with a white silky ribbon. It was pretty and looks expensive.

How to get down from above the tree house is hard and uneasy with a long gown. Thankfully the groom surprised her with an elevator-like hammock filled with ornamental fragrant flowers from there   she is hoisted down the floor, through the yard where flowers of different kind are spread on the ground for her to walk on going through the path of the chapel. It was the whole clan first who went inside the chapel, the groom was there already wearing the graduation suit (in college)  he wore 5 years ago. Mila was there at  the altar together with the officiating priest, Grandpa Gustavo and Grandma Olivia. Mila has to sing the wedding song while the flower girls, the ring bearer, and maid of honor and bridesmaid  enters the chapel...lastly the bride enters the chapel. All eyes were focus on Jenna and her lovely wedding gown. It was tailor-made for her radiant beauty. Josephine would like to make a renaissance style gown for her but the textile is not enough for the long terrain and cap and long sleeves and double and triple layers of dress with petticoat. So what she made for her is just simple yet very elegant modern day wedding gown.

All the men are wearing the same kind of clothing made from handwoven fiber of jusi and pina, , agave, and rayon (bamboo). The women are wearing long sarong with slit on the left side of the skirt and zabrina style blouse. A long strand of ylang-ylang flowers adorned their waistline and on their heads for garland. Men have vest and short sarong style clothing with the same wrap-around ylang-ylang flowers on top of their heads and around the waistline. That's the motiff. That's the color motiff from the color of  this very exotic yet very delicate flower similar to yellowgreen leaves (lime color) from a tree surrounding the chapel. The fragrance is very aromatic and captivating.

Long and familiar homily from Grandma and Grandpa. All were attentive and focus to their words of wisdom. The young ones were attentive this time. Thank goodness. Then it's time for the special rite for the bride and groom. Excitement feels the air as they exchanged vows of solemn promises to keep each other in sickness and in health, till death do they part, to keep their love and to cherish love and respect for each other forever. Then Grandpa Gustavo and Grandma Olivia blessed the matrimony of Loren and Jenna. Then they asked to seal the nuptial with a kiss....and they kissed! How happy the clan is evidently seen with their smile , laughter and loud applause of acceptance.

The reception followed shortly after the mass and the wedding. They all gathered at the reception area tantalizing at the great food on the table. Roast beef, and stuffed turkeys, seafood of all kind. Boiled bananas, potatoes, taro roots on the long table spread with banana leaves used as mantle. Gourmet food such as fettuccine alfredo, seafood primavera, linguini, spinach pasta mixed with banana heart. On another table is designed for the many fruits harvested from the island such as :berries, caimito or star apples, papaya, rambutan, lychees, macopa, banana, pineapple, and mandarin oranges. After the joyous meal, Jameson went upstairs to their house and brought a box wrapped in vines  of ivy and told the bride and groom, "this is my special gift for the couple, I hope you'll like it." with a smirk on his face, "he then make a toast with the newly weds and the elders and to all at the reception.

Excitedly, the bride decides to open the gifts one by one. First, Jenna unwrapped the gift from Jameson's. She thought there is something weird with his gift. Loren helped unwrap the box. The ivy vine is used as a ribbon and bow to cover the box. Weird huh. So, when she opened it she was surprise of what's inside it. She was laughing, showing the elders of what she's got.

"Oh well!" "They are no longer wine from 100% grapes ." Loren shouted. "It's now 6 bottles of coconut wine and 6 bottles of banana wine."

"What?! the family roared with laughter. Grandpa Gustavo couldn't help express his anger. His squinty eyes was almost red in shame.

"Hey folks don't worry!" blurted Arthur. " I have another case of wine, red wine in my house." Arthur was smiling, he too couldn't help laughed with Jameson. At least Jameson proved his knowledge about fermentation of another wine. He made use of his knowledge in physics as a protege of Josephine.

Arthur brought Chivas Regal and Don Perignon at the table. This time Grandpa Gustavo keep smiling. He likes good wine, no doubt.

Jameson keeps on insisting his wine is better. They should at least try it for he tried those wines before and he is proud to share them with the whole clan.


NOTE: Please let me know if you want to read the rest of the story. The original version is 92 pages and I 'm not sure whether the readers would like to read such a very long story of adventure, family life, conflict and complicated, revolutionary ideas and several paranormal activity. I should have this novelette in Ebook or book instead however I don't have a machinery to do such thing. My apology to my readers.

The Spirit Of Verona - Page 25

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author: E. Verna Turner
Page 24  Secret
Page 25

Within 5 year period the Russo family, the Keeping's, the Torres, the Evangelista's, all of them in the island were able to adapt the environment which they think is favorable to their existence. Adaptation is never that easy for them at first but they managed for their own good. Who wont be? The island is such an ideal place. Almost perfect, very rich in natural resources. The climate is splendidly awesome! They never get sick. They are always happy, few quarrels that they always able to resolve. The children grew up to be who they really are, respectful of their elders, strong-willed but with fear in God, courteous and polite. Resourceful, smart and skilled. Surely it was blessing in disguised that the climate is favorable and which never harm them in anyway. There are only two season warm and not so warm. It never rain and that's amazingly good.  Similar feature of an amazonian jungle like they have there showers can't be felt that much in the secluded area. There's no storm. The last storm was when only their first day in that mysterious island.

There is so much sunshine and the water from the ocean is lukewarm but the lagoon and river remained cool. The coolest temperature ever.The air is fresh because of the abundance of greenery and lush vegetation including the tall trees, bushes, and herbs plus the coconut groves whose palms sway gracefully with the wind. The right ventilation, rather well balanced ventilation of air is felt most of the time.

Joselito, Jolina, Melinda and Joseph gathered bunch of firewood. Mila and Tamara  got  their paddles and ride on their bamboo raft paddling and sailing smoothly to the ocean. Their raft has a sail and a small bamboo house like an outpost. It was cute. They were 100 ft. away from the shore when Eric saw them and he too ride the banca (canoe) and as fast as he could paddled his canoe to  join the sisters.

"What are you doing? What are you planning to do? " Eric asked the  two sisters.

"Oh, we'll gather some oysters and abalones." Mila told Eric.

"Yeah, there are clusters of oysters on this spot and maybe those oysters already have pearls inside." Tamara  said with a smile.

"And what are you doing with those pearls? " Eric asked again.

"Secret!!!!!" the two girls jumped and dive at the same time on the clear blue waters of the ocean. So pristine clean and clear. It was inviting.

"You girls are so secretive." Eric blurted. He waited for a while and when the sisters come up to the bamboo raft they have lots of oysters in their handwoven basket. But for the girls they are not enough and because they are unopen yet they don't know how many have pearls inside. So they dive down again to gather more oysters. Eric doesn't like being left behind so he too dive deep down the ocean and underneath were too many sea creatures that he never could imagine are there. Even the ocean is filled with water resources, so rich and so beautiful there. Variety of colors and multitude of fish, angelfish, swordfish, mackerels and tuna, small fish and big fish, shellfish of different kind and species, so much seaweeds too and corals. Then he realized he is fixated on creatures that they don't need for now he was seen harvesting oysters helping the sisters. They only stop until they reached more than  hundred oysters  and they started opening the shells one by one. They had wonderful conversation while opening the shells and found so much precious shiny pearls filling up their handwoven basket.

It was before sunset that the three teenagers decided it's time to go home and be with their respective family.

The Spirit Of Verona - Page 23

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author: E. Verna Turner
Page 23

Without a fuzz, without much hesitation the herds of goat followed them on the trail home. They seemed very obedient and calm. Their heads are tied snuggly with rope, leash on their heads as they hold the rope tightly not wanting  them to escape. The only noise they can hear on the way, "meehhhhh, meeeehhhh!))))))) which made the girls chuckled loudly.

Too many tall cogon grass, thistles of bushes with lots of thorns, weird dandy lions whose flowers are bigger than normal. Too many insects that are trying to bite their skin. Buzzing yellow jackets, bumble bees and butterflies flutter freely on the air.

"I wonder who the trolls are! Ha ha ha ha!" Elmo said which Loren quickly replied, "Maybe you are the troll Father." And they both laughed so hard. Everyone laughed heartily.

Suddenly another creepy noise along the grass. Right there where the papasan, close to the anahaw leaves so thick and so green spread like a fan, that's where the loud noise is. "Tucko ! Tuck-O! "

"Wait hold on! " Loren said. He suggested they have to stop walking. Watch your step, look at the ground." I felt a sudden tremor." He told the group to keep calm. "I hope there are no snakes around." "Most of all no hippos."

The ground was shaking a bit. Animals are running around the bamboo plantation. They saw an incredible amount of birds flying in a V-formation. Then right in front of them big lizards started to appear one by one from the long rotten logs across the anahaw tree. Then they all run away abruptly. Cade saw few feathers on the ground. He picked them up one by one. Loren identified two of them, one looks like feather  of a turkey...and the other feather looks like ( he paused for a while and didn't mention the other one)  Loren exclaimed excitedly, " Know what? I think we'll have turkey for the reception." I think there are too many turkey in this island. Meticulously he aimed his rifle on the spot where the big lizards ran through. That path where he thought turkeys ran away from them.

"Go ahead catch them for us!" the girls yelled at Loren. So Loren and the boys go with them while the girls tend to the goats on leash. They find out that those big turkeys are being chased away by several big lizards called chuckwalla.  Chuckwalla is a big herbivorous lizard,  looks like komodo dragon. Frightened by the sight of the big  lizard, the girls run and dropped the harness for the goats. One goat ran away. The goat escaped pretty quick and didn't bother to chase it. They have more than enough. Loren and the guys arrived with the turkeys in their hands and manage to have the goats with them. Thankfully the rest of the goats stayed with the rest of the herd. With healthy- looking goats and big fat turkeys plus coffee berries what could they could ask for. Blessings, blessings more than enough and they thanked the Lord God for these bounty.

The Spirit Of Verona - Page 22

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author: E. Verna Turner
Page 22

The next day the Keeping family announced to the whole clan that they want the wedding sooner than later. Josephine beaming with pride wants the best wedding gown for her daughter Jenna. That she opened her old trunk filled with Victorian lace and fabric made of the finest Italian silk. It was sealed in a plastic and seemed not affected by water when they were shipwrecked. She had in the old trunk with packages of assorted thread, needles and pins. To their surprise, she never thought she'll bring her old sewing machine...but she did. Jenna was overjoyed. She couldn't believe that her mother is not only very creative but also very resourceful and only think about what is best for her family. She --Josephine can see the future. She can visualize what will happen to them. She is always prepared of the many consequences being away from Italy. She seemed to have a plan nestled on her mind. Jenna couldn't help herself, kissed her mother on the forehead and embraced her with much affection.

"Even if we are stranded in this unknown island I want to make sure that you and your sister will have a grand wedding." Josephine told the sisters. "And it's your turn first, Jenna. "Maybe next time it's Rosalee, " Josephine smiled.

"What about me Mother?" asked Eric.

Josephine looked at Eric and laughed, " Eric maybe we wont be here at the island when that happened. You are still too young to get married.

Scenes of happiness filled the family, the whole clan and  later on they were all busy with the preparation for the wedding of Jenna and Loren. The Torres family keep on finding the best gift they can give to Jenna and family. They need a dowry. They searched inside their house, their old trunk. Atlas! They found something of equal importance to them and to the Keeping's family. But they have to follow another tradition, they have to give an offering of live animals. The Torres family have to hunt whatever animals they can find at the jungle. Elmo can go with Loren to hunt these animals. It doesn't matter if the animals can fly, crawl or how many legs they've got as long as the family of Jenna will approve such offering.

Elmo and Loren are ready prepared with their hunting gear and  about to embark on looking for the best offering that they could find through the vast jungle when Mila and Tamara asked if they can go with them together with Joselito, Jolina, Cade and Joseph. At first Loren was reluctant but knowing the girls are good hunters and they knew how to use ax, hatchet and crossbow and arrows they could be of great help. Elmo just shook his head in defiance but Loren is his son and it's up to him. The decision is up to his  one and only son. Loren knew what his father is thinking but he whispered, "they are my cousins, father." You'd better know that.

"I know they are!" whispered Elmo. Relentless pursuit of what to offer made them so choosy about what to get in the first place. They have seen so many birds flying around the island.  Too many species of birds on top of the trees, birds on the branches of berry trees. Parrots, macaws in different size and colors. Bright colors that are so tantalizing to their eyes.

"How about those beautiful macaws father? Would that be good?!?" Loren asked Elmo.

Elmo pretend to be deaf. His mind is somewhere else. Then Loren heard a reply from Tamara, " I like those macaws." "I like them as pet."

"How many arrows in your possession Tamara?" asked Loren.

"I have only thirty arrows!" answered Tamara but I can make more arrows using bamboo stick if need be. "Why? How many animals you need to hunt?" asked Tamara who is more than curious why his cousin asked.

Loren didn't answer. It was Mila who explained that maybe he wants to hunt some animals for food. One for the offering and meat for food ... for the wedding reception. That is a clear explanation, reason  which Loren didn't tell them but now they know. They continued their wide search until they reached the center of the island. It was hot and humid. They were perspiring, their brows, their arms, their whole body sweating from the long walk. Elmo told them to sit on the grass while they wait for the next plan of action. Good that they brought water to drink. While they were seated they heard some commotion at the east side of the jungle. Mila stand up and she yelled at what she had seen ten feet away from their place.

"Holy Jesus!" Mila exclaimed.

She hollored to them, "come quick and be careful don't make any noise." The group followed her almost on tiptoes then they looked at what she is pointing to them.

"Oh my goodness! Goats!!! Lots of goatssssss!!!!!!!!!" Tamara started to giggle.

There are lots of goats. Herds of them beside some peculiar shrubs. The goats were nibbling on something. Since they were busy eating grass and those fruits from the many bushes close to the birch trees, they were also busy trying to capture these herds of goats. They issued a plan for everyone of what to do. They opened spread  their big net the one they are using for hauling fish from the ocean. They want to try if it works with goats. They surrounded the herd of goats and drop the big net all at once in abrupt action. Twenty three goats were captured all at once. Instantly! With the remaining rope enough to tie them together. It was that easy. They are getting better with hunting. Cade who is more than curious with what they are nibbling, opened one of the goat's mouth and finds out.

"Uhm, looks like berries!" These goats like berries?" he laughed at his find.

Elmo and Loren looked at the goats mouth, opened it wide  and exclaimed, " Coffee beans!!!!!!!!!!!!" They are eating fresh berries from coffee plant. They all laughed so hard and end up picking so many berries from the bushes and shrubs almost like a bean plantation in that region.

"No wonder these goats are so hyper." "They keep jumping up and down." Mila told the group.



"So many berries, so little time! Picking up berries and having so much fun!" Joseph muttered happily. They left the area after filling up their pockets, their handwoven baskets with fresh berries they have to share with the whole clan.

The Spirit Of Verona - Page 21

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author : E. Verna Turner
Page 21

The whole family, the whole clan waited impatiently  for the special announcement from Juanita and Elmo Torres.

"My wife Juanita and I would like to let you know that it's the 30th birthday of our son Loren," Elmo said.

"Ohhh...Happy birthday Loren! ))))) the whole clan replied in chorus as if there's an echo. Elmo continued what he was saying and then, " on his 30th birthday we decided it's best also to announce his engagement with one of the daughter's of the Keeping's family."

More ohhs and ahhhss can be heard within the congregation at the chapel. They wonder who is the lucky girl. Could it be Jenna or Rosalee. They are both gorgeous and at the right age for marriage. So they waited, and waited who could it be, who could be the bride for the Torres only one son. They have no daughter, they only have a son. The clan is not quite sure whether who is Jenna and Rosalee, they are identical twins and they always wear the same kind of clothing. They have the same attitude and mannerism.

When Juanita asked, " Jenna dear will you please stand up and come closer here in front beside us?"


"Oh it was Jenna!" Joseph was heard loudly and giggled like a little girl. Melinda pinched his brother's waist for being so annoying.

"Shhhhh! with eyes widened with disgust, Grandma Olivia waved a hand on those two naughty kids at the back of her seat.

"Keep quiet children." Amelia told the kids." You are messing up the solemn rites of engagement.

More long speech heard from the Torres family and short speech from Jenna and from Josephine and Arthur Keeping.

The whole clan gave the Torres family and Keeping's family a big applause for the wonderful sharing of gospel for that day.  After the Sunday mass each one of them shook hands with Loren and Jenna and congratulate both of them. One by one feels the excitement. The elders congratulate the future bride and groom. They proceeded to the beach and have their Sunday picnic get-together. Two occasions to celebrate that day: birthday and engagement. It was a total bliss.

Commercial Muna. And This Is Not Funny!

 Remember the news on TV and newspaper about the satellite the size of a bus that's been predicted to have just fallen in Canada last September? Then they figured out that it will actually land in Calgary. Later on it landed or had fallen in the US. Which one is true? Since the earth is round and it revolves around the sun and orbit into space as what they said, by scientists and astronomers. Yes all about science is a never-ending story. That on September 24 when I went out if ever there is something peculiar within air space of Canada. That time period when the wind is so strong and gusty. Furious and stormy but without rain or anything just a howling sound of wind. There is no twister or whatsoever but the rushing wind is at the speed of light going left side of where I am in that period of time. I can't see no debris falling. Then I went further back in the afternoon to pick up the local paper just close to my house. When I was about come back home I looked up and see so many tiny debris on the rooftop of our house. They are somewhat shiny. I told myself they are probably pieces of nails. The head of nails showing up and it sparkles with the light passing through it from the distance. I looked at other houses' rooftop if they have the nails of their roof showing. Hmm...none. I think it depends on the color of the roof shingles that were used. I told it to my husband. But I think he didn't hear what I said. Then days has passed by and I was looking at the rooftop again because I felt like there is something weird hitting me while I was inside the house. Sort of like "laser beam." I went out to investigate. Then I saw something weird again. This is so bizarre! I have no binocular so I used my Canon digital camera to have the lens zoomed in.

This time it's not shiny object on top of the roof.

It's a piece of bone!

Who the hell did that? Why on earth will throw a piece of bone on the rooftop?

Crazy!! ? Crazies?

The Spirit Of Verona - Page 20

THE SPIRIT OF VERONA
Author: E. Verna Turner
Page 20

At the dinner table, they have lots of food to eat. There is a big plate of the left over turkey and a big platter of unknown meat. Lots of vegetables, crabs with lemons, bunch of bananas, guyabano, and macopa. The last of the boiled potatoes and the last of the steamed rice. There are only few spices left and half sack of wheat flour, barley and pasta in their bamboo pantry. Amelia don't want to tell the family about that. It might spoil their meal. However what the kids want to know is what kind of "meat" that is on the big platter. Jameson asked Amelia. Being the family cook for thirty years she knew her family wont poison them in anyway but the kind of meat on the table is not chicken nor turkey.

"Oh you know what Jameson," Amelia starts to tell him the story while she grinned at the elders. " We were looking for you and your brothers and sister when Stephano and I saw some water buffalo close to the river."

"You mean there are buffalos here?" In this island?" And there is a river?" Jameson asked Amelia.

"Yes there's a river and water buffalos. However the water buffalos stay on the muddy pond. That's where they are at when we found them. Under the guava trees close to the river is where the water buffalos roamed." " And because just like you we are so bored about the fish for food,  so...(while Amelia looked at the kids with their eyes wide like a window that never close she stand up and got a big bowl of food from the brick stove. When she returned at the table , she served the best food ever!

"Oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spaghetti and spare ribs!" the kids screamed loudly and the elders laughed at their abrupt reaction. "Oh thank you Lord God for the food, great food! " I miss spaghetti so much!" Jameson said as he forked the strand of spaghetti right to his plate.

"Beef! So much beef! Buffalo beef!!! Beef beef!" Joseph said laughing at everyone.

"We know you don't like beef, Joseph. You are a such a fish!" Ha ha ha ha !"roared Eric. Joseph actually hate the smell of beef and buffalo's meat has strong taste and smell. Anyway the whole clan enjoyed their dinner. It was awesome.

After dinner a long prayer was held. In unity with their parents, the teens and kids promised to pledge allegiance as an assurance that everything will be alright, that in unity there'll be peace and in unity there is so much strength. Life will continue to exist between them in the island. That they hope and pray that the Lord God will continue to provide and nurture their needs.They believed that they are in that mysterious island for a divine purpose and divine reason that's beginning to unfold one by one, step by step. In accordance with their religious belief they built a chapel where they installed a table made of cedar and bamboo. The table is like a counter with drawers and case where they placed their set of encyclopedia and atlas book. The map is missing. The map of their supposed to be destination of their voyage is missing and Grandpa Gustavo forgot where he placed it. He had forgotten that map since the time they were shipwrecked in that island. Nobody can remember the old map. It's no longer important to them anyway. Their mind is set on their religious vocation and devotion. They have Bible study on the importance of good family, good character, value of hard work and religion in their lives. The chapel become the house of worship and their library.

After every mass on Sunday the whole clan gather at the beach or near the lagoon for a picnic or depends on the kind of weather they have on that day.


 The whole clan is happy with their stay in the island, years after years and many years have passed...until one day after Grandpa Gustavo said his homily at the chapel, Elmo and Juanita announced a big surprise for the whole family, relatives and friends.

All eyes, all ears are focused on Elmo, Juanita and Loren, waiting for their announcement the kids seemed unfazed and impatiently wanting to stand up from their seats.

To be continued ----