yet one more.

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that surprising and wonderful moment

when you discover

there is yet one more unread book

written by one of your favorite authors

hiding in plain sight

waiting for you to pick it up.

 

—

“books are for nothing but to inspire”
– ralph waldo emerson

july light.

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“that beautiful season the summer! 

filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; 

and the landscape 

lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.”

–  henry wadsworth longfellow

 

 

 

 

—

image credit: the firefly dance, pinterest

let (a few of) them eat cake!

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when reading the day’s news online

there were the expected headlines/updates/graphs:

scotus decision

virus numbers updates

calls for mayor’s resignation

protest marches continue

doctors’ opinions

iran’s decision

cruise ship passengers awaiting refunds

election polls

presidential tweets

to wear a mask or not?

europe’s reopening

and then in huge letters:

COSTCO STOPS SELLING HALF-SHEET CAKES

what?

why is this a story?

why is this a bigger-font-size-worthy story?

what is the story?

here’s the story and it’s an odd logic.:

—

The past few months have been chaotic for Costco customers, with product shortages, long lines and the temporary elimination of free food samples. Now, it appears there’s another change for devoted shoppers: Costco has eliminated the iconic half-sheet cakes that are the centerpiece of graduation and birthday parties.

Costco has quietly stopped selling the $20 half-sheet cakes across its US stores for the past month, instead pointing people toward its 10-inch round cakes and other assorted baked goods.

“To help limit personal contact and create more space for social distancing, Costco has reduced service in some departments,” the company explained to outraged customers on its Facebook account. 

Costco confirmed to CNN Business it’s not selling the half-sheet cakes anymore and it has “no immediate plans” to bring it back. A spokesperson added that its 10-inch round cakes “seem to be resonating with our members.”

The decision also coincides with a recommendation from several US states and health agencies to avoid or prohibit large gatherings in light of Covid-19. Half-sheet cakes feeds around 50 people, while its 10-inch round cake serves around a dozen.

—

my interpretation: apparently the thought is that if you don’t have a big cake, you will not have a big celebration, where people will gather around the big cake in a big group. if you have more pieces of cake, you will then invite more people to go with it. what if you just bought a few round cakes, couldn’t you invite the same amount of people and just cut from the round cakes, or would that discourage you from inviting more guests as you’d have to then open more than one box? what about people just deciding to socially distance themselves without the cake being the deciding factor? just wondering, or is this that devil math at play once again? does it come down to having to match ratios, person to piece, and not have any leftover cake to eat for breakfast? i  knew i should have listened in school. 

—

“cake is happiness! If you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness!

If you have a cake in front of you, you should not look any further for joy!”

-c. joyBell c.

 

 

 

—

credits: cnn business

seeing.

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i’m going to guess this is the car of an artist

i wonder what her/his vision is

for these beautiful pieces of wood.

a treasure trove. 

 

 

—

“my work isn’t about form. it’s about seeing.

i’m excited about seeing things,

and i’m interested in the way i think other people see things. 

-roy lichtenstein

al fresco.

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streets now closed to cars
on friday afternoons through sunday evenings
so people can move to the streets
to walk, talk, dine, and be distant
a pretty natural adaption.
—
“eating outdoors makes for good health and long life and good temper, everyone knows that.”
-elise de wolfe
—
ann arbor, mi, usa – june 2020

just be kind.

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looking in the shop window

on a walk into a quiet downtown

i am reminded. 

breakfast.

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bunny stops by the yard for a quick breakfast

kitty sees bunny and considers breakfast

bunny sees kitty and keeps eating

kitty sees bunny seeing kitty

one inside, one outside

only a screen between them

understanding

each is safe

but what goes on in their heads?

 

—

“it is easy to be brave from a safe distance. “

-aesop

breathing room.

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walking in sugarbush woods 

i ran across this tree man

just waiting for someone to find him. 

“what art offers is space – a certain breathing room for the spirit.”

-john updike

i know…

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setting up spotify

there were many choices

this one or that one?

more of this or less of this?

pass by or play?

i thought i had a cool, eclectic, quirky sense of taste in music

until it was spelled out for me with some such statement:

“it seems like you’ve selected almost all 70s and 80s music.

you’re obviously most drawn to the music of these decades.

we’ll be customizing your playlist to reflect your taste.

what? called out by spotify? did i know that?

did i know that, but was in denial?

did i think i was cooler than i really am?

was spotify judging me?

while i do like a huge range of music

(especially the irish bards and americana)

it’s clear where my musical heart lies.

—

my taste in music ranges from 

“here, listen to this”

to

” i know, please don’t judge me.”

(author unknown)

 

teriyaki time.

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teriyaki time (not for gambling)

—

the bag of loot my daughter gave me

with a friendly reminder

to pick up the sushi lunch

and not go to the casino or track

with the cash and the kids.

 

—

Quote from ‘Dumb & Dumber’:

LLOYD: “I’ll bet you 20 bucks I can get you gambling before the end of the day!?”

HARRY: “No way.”

LLOYD: “I’ll give you 3 to 1 odds?”

HARRY: “Nope.”

LLOYD: “5 to 1?”

HARRY: “Nope.”

LLOYD: “10 to 1?”

HARRY: “You’re on.”