Oct16

bananarama.

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downtown

sitting outside on a patio for a meal

on a warm autumn night

it began with me asking

does anyone else see bananas coming this way?

that must have opened the portal

bananas of all kinds began to show up

first, the sweet bananas appeared

it was a university pub crawl

to kick off the year and bonding event

next

the hustling bunch of bananas

the flying abbey road bananas

the hawaiian bananas

the meet up and find your bunch bananas

the girl power autographed bananas

the romantic date night on the town bananas

bunches of bananas were everywhere

all in good spirits

the town was swarming with ’em

after a while

the bananas slowed their pace

 leaving in our car

we saw

the slipping into a car for a safe ride home bananas

carry on.

 

—

‘life is full of banana skins. you slip, you carry on.’

*Daphne Guinness

 

*Daphne Guinness is an English-Irish artist, fashion icon, and heiress to the Guinness brewing family, known for her avant-garde style and cultural work.

 

 

 

—

 old town, ann arbor, mi, usa, 2026

 

—

Oct15

to vincent.

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came upon this 

bench in a park

with

 a beautiful view

looking out

toward the water

at first

seeing it was covered with flowers

 i imagined 

a romantic gesture

 left behind 

in their happiness

for others 

to enjoy

 as i got closer

 

 

i read the dedication at the top of the bench

‘to vincent’

‘so we can sit and talk forever. godspeed’

october 31, 2004 – october 8, 2024

born on halloween

gone before he could celebrate

his 20th halloween and birthday

what a loving dedication 

 a wish to stay connected

a place to return

to sit in silence

with their memories of him

 

 

i then understood the real reason

the flowers and cards

with hearts on them

all with his name 

‘vincent’

were left here 

the marker

the paper

left behind

perhaps

for those

who might come later

in their own time

did this begin 

with one friend 

missing him

other friends 

each arriving 

as they could

or

all at once

did he love this park

did he love the view

do they

have memories

of times there

shared with 

vincent

the flowers

a gift of beauty

the notes

i imagine

were 

a gift of words

to say

we miss you

to say

we remember you 

to say

we love you

to say

we won’t ever forget you

i picture them

returning to this bench

each year

on the anniversary

of losing their dear friend

looking toward the water

remembering

vincent.

—

‘you meet people who forget you. you forget people you meet.

but sometimes you meet those people you can’t forget.

those are your friends.’

~ Mark Twain

Oct14

nothing too much.

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quiet discoveries – virgin’s bower

 

 

color textures scent – spindle tree

climbing shining glowing – oak tree & virginia creeper vine

mother nature’s latest installation – sassafras tree

 

—

‘few people know how to take a walk.

the qualities are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes,

an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good silence, and nothing too much.’

-ralph waldo emerson

 

 

 

—

nichols arboretum, ann arbor, mi, usa – october 2025

Oct13

you see in.

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something about finding an old gate 

wondering

why is it there

what it opens to

where it leads

could i 

see my way through?

—

‘the gates made of light swing open. you see in, ‘

-rumi

 

 

 

 

 

—

nichols arboretum, ann arbor, mi, usa – october 2026

Oct12

‘we will be known forever by the tracks we leave.’ – Dakota tribe

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John Nieto (born 1936), Plains Warrior with Breastplate, 1998. Acrylic on canvas, Tacoma Art Museum

 

“Go forward with courage. When you are in doubt, be still, and wait;

when doubt no longer exists for you, then go forward with courage.

So long as mists envelop you, be still;

be still until the sunlight pours through and dispels the mists – as it surely will.

Then act with courage.”

– Chief White Eagle, Ponca Chief

 

—

 Indigenous Peoples Day –  

(the 2nd Monday of October in the United States)

To honor the rich histories, cultures, and resilience of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians,

while correcting historical narratives that long erased or minimized Indigenous presence.

Oct11

what we do is less than a drop in the ocean. but if it were missing, the ocean would lack something.– mother teresa

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Oct10

essence.

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as we share

our stories, our rituals, our celebrations, our food, our connections

we are reminded

as we feel

our songs, our fears, our joys, our tears

we are reminded

as we say

our final goodbyes to c.

we are reminded

—

 

 

 

 

—

image credit: elephant journal

Oct9

the tarter the apple, the sweeter the cider.- beverly lewis

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 by the side of the huron river

a stop by the dexter cider mill

is always, always a treat

feels like fall is in the air

 

very friendly and delicious 

even an apple cider slushie

sooooooo good

Michigan is known for having one of the densest networks of traditional, family-owned sweet cider mills (over 125 licensed mills) alongside a massive hard cider industry, producing roughly one billion pounds of apples annually.  Established in 1886, Dexter Cider Mill is Michigan’s oldest continuously operating cider mill. It sits right on the banks of the Huron River and uses an original oak rack press.

 Selling wood-pressed fresh unpasteurized cider, warm cinnamon doughnuts, caramel apples, apple nut bread, and small-batch hard ciders.  Cash or check only.

 

—

“the cider tasted like Michigan too and I always remembered the cider mill.”

– Ernest Hemingway, True at First Light 

 

 

 

—

source credits: rural innovation exchange, dexter cider mill

https://dextercidermill.com/pages/about-us

Oct8

greatest achievements.

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morning walk with friends

 to the park

to the cider mill

shared

fresh hot donut

to breakfast

at the little town’s diner

inside

warm, friendly, comfort, yum

outside

  a

corner of community

taped to their window

invite for a casual party pace group bike ride

signup for the 2nd anniversary

baseball golf outing

with prizes

 fancy door for the fairies

to come and go

as they please

 best of all 

 handmade thank you note

from a child to the diner

joyful art

kind words

curls

swirls

squiggles

biiiiiiig smile

fancy hair

blowing in the wind

balloon?

giant snail ?

baby snails?

maze?

imagination

and

gratitude.

—

‘mankind’s greatest achievements are found on thank you notes, not resumes.’

-wes fessler

 

Wesley (Wes) Fesler (1908-89) was an American football, basketball, baseball player and coach of football and basketball.

 

 

 

—

dexter, mi, usa – october 2026

Oct7

i have no words.. wait, i do: ‘gigil.’

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owlet

 

—

Gigil (Tagalog): 

The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.
Prononciation: Ghee-gill

 

 

 

 

 

 

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image credit: huffington post