quick stop
to say hi
to the grandies and friends
I was lucky enough to enjoy
their indoor flying and blow-up forts created with fans.
life is good at the end of summer. 
“the end-of-summer winds make people restless.”
-sebastian faulks
such an interesting mix at lunch
sugar cookies, grated parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes
it made me wonder a bit
when I inquired I was told
the cheese and peppers were there
because they were serving Italian food in the kitchen
and the cookies were there
because this was their new location
and I kind of loved
the ‘no logical reason’ reason for the combination
it made it even better
and why not after all?
—
“things have to be funny first, and if they want to have a point, that’s awesome.”
-john mulaney
what a surprise and delight
it was to meet peter
(who is known as jonathan when in trouble)
the proprietor of a tiny shop near the beach.
how was i to know
that he was
a visiting nurse
a gentle spirit
a master
of local lore, directions, recommendations
who worries about what will happen to his store
when he is gone
and wonders
if the people who take it over
will be able to make enough money
in spite of some adversity
he was brimming
with happiness and passion
as we spoke at length
about the joys of sea glass
with all of its pits and scratches and imperfections
that only serve to prove
it’s the real thing
having survived
a long and challenging journey
having arrived at last
on a soft and sandy shore
collected by hands
that appreciate it for all of its beauty
exactly as it is
“for me, the difference between an ‘ordinary’ and an ‘extraordinary’ person
is not the title that person might have,
but what they do to make the world a better place for us all.”
-jody williams
—
wells, maine – august 2019

In traveling to the east coast this week, I am touched, over and over again, by the people i see being welcomed by, and welcoming, others who they are connected to in some way. It is a story that never gets old and is never told exactly the same way twice.
—-
“May we greet each other with a smile, a hug, and speak kind words.”
-Lailah Gifty Akita
when giving a friend my new address
she was surprised
to discover
that she already was familiar with that address
and she could let herself in
as she already possessed a key.
she used to care for a little black cat who lived there,
bonnie.
her client happened to be
the woman who sold me my condo
and now
there is a new little black cat living there,
my olive.
there must be something about the house
that needs a little black cat living there
to feel like home
I think they would have liked each other.
—
“I believe that life is chaotic, a jumble of accidents, ambitions, misconceptions, bold intentions, lazy happenstances, and unintended consequences, yet I also believe that there are connections that illuminate our world, revealing its endless mystery and wonder.”
-david maraniss
—
image credit: getdrawings.com