Marred by asymmetry, she is earthbound. Vulnerable and imperfect. Even on such a day as this, under such a sky, life is a painful, messy pursuit.
In the Yard
It’s a Beautiful Day for Memes!
The day is beyond beautiful. How about a nap in the sun? Or a lovely, itchy roll?
How about a brief tour of the yard?
Along with dashing outside every ten minutes, I’ve been catching up and cooking and generally enjoying my day. What’s more, I received blog award nominations from Kathryn Martins. (It’s okay. Really…go ahead and click on the link! I’ll wait while you read a few of her posts. Or all of them. At least take a few minutes to meet her dogs.)
I tried to follow these awards back to their source, but never found a starting place. I think they are wonderfully mysterious. Where did they come from? Better yet, where else will they go, once I’ve passed them on?
They come with a few rules. I’m supposed to thank the person who nominated me.
Thank you, kathrymartins1! (There’s the link again, in case you missed it the first time…)
Then I’m supposed to say seven things about myself. Since I received these awards on such a beautiful day, I’ll say seven things that mattered today:
1. My father died of a heart attack when I was fifteen. He was fifty-two at the time of his death. Today I had blood drawn to monitor my cholesterol levels.
2. After my lab appointment, I made the mistake of stopping at the grocery. It’s hard enough to be sensible in the grocery when I’m well fed, but after a twelve hour fast it’s virtually impossible. Cookies, anyone?
3. And speaking of the grocery, at least I remembered the things that I meant to buy. The chili smells delicious.
4. I detest shoes. All shoes. It was such a relief, when I got home today, to confirm that it’s warm enough for bare feet. I’ll need socks, later tonight, but not right now.
5. I saw the yard’s first honey bees today. My bee-spotting abilities are directly related to my shoe aversion.
6. I want to finish my day’s work before dusk, because yesterday evening three rabbits played a hilarious, rowdy game of pounce and chase in the back yard. I’m hoping they’ll return tonight!
7. I want to be a writer when I grow up. Doesn’t everyone?
Finally, I’m supposed to pass the awards to seven other bloggers. That’s the best part! (And it involves more links!)
Seasonings – Just a Little Poetry by Betty Hayes Albright
Persephone Writes by Angela Cybulski (kathrynmartins1 nominated this blog, as well!)
Moss Forest
If I were a fairy, I would want to live in a moss forest.
Photo Failure, Tufted Titmouse
I’ve been hearing a tufted titmouse call for weeks. These birds have a loud, clear call that carries. (You can hear a sample here.) I find it hard to guess how far away the bird is, when I hear one calling, but it always seems to be across the road or in a neighbor’s yard or a few streets over.
Today one visited our yard, hopping through the pear tree as it sang. I desperately wanted a picture of this little bird and managed to catch several frames of it. None of them are quite right. The top photos are my best shots of the day, but I never did get “the” picture.
The following are a few of my failures. They are like many of my writing failures, suffering from poor focus, flat light, or awkward angles. But, unlike my writing, I can’t save these photos. They are missed opportunities with no chance of salvage. I can’t edit them into success.
I hope to remember these photos the next time I sigh over a stubborn phrase, resenting the work of revision.
From the Dove Archives
Our yard is full of doves. I watch and listen as they amble along our fence, browse beneath the feeders, and coo low love songs from our roof. I follow their nests in our pear tree, in our roses and pansies, and wave goodbye when the fledglings fly away. Do they return, sometimes, when they are ready for nests of their own?
All these doves in our yard. Do they also watch and listen, wondering where we came from and where we will go?
Rae Spencer 