after
a lot, a lot, a lot
of rain
the river rose high
up and over
paths washed out
nice to intersect
where the land met the water
with this very happy dad
following his wife and son
in kayaks
making their way
through what was very recently
a grassy playground
on island park
paddling through to the river
“ever think you’d find yourself paddling here?”
“no, but i’m so, so happy that i am!”
—
“celebrate the success of others. high tide floats all ships.”
-susan elizabeth phillips
a wonderful note during these challenging times, from our local library:
ann arbor district library
Today, you checked out 30,622 items from the AADL.
Last Friday, that number was 5,067.
NOW PLEASE, DON’T BRING ANY OF IT BACK!
NONE OF IT!
NO JOKE!
Seriously, please keep everything until we ask for it back.
We promise, we’ll let you know when.
—
More information on our system-wide closure: https://aadl.org/covidclosure
“the only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”
—
credits: robert mccloskly, illustrator (blueberries for sal, make way for ducklings),aadl.org
first game of the year
and lots of excitement buzzing around town
most everyone embraces it
even the new arrivals on campus
on sorority/frat row
and the car wash
that stays open and works
while also hosting tailgaters
complete with
buses, games, food, and mini bar
now that’s team spirit.
—
“you are either supporting the vision or supporting division”
― saji ijiyemi
now that I’ve moved from the west side to the north side
do I have to learn new signs?
—
“search for beauty without features, something deeper than any signs.”
-francesca da rimini
—
image credit: babycommunity.com
at last
I’ve moved into my new home
I’m going to call it
la casita pacifica
(the tiny peaceful house)
near the river, the flowers, the woods, the town, the family
“i’m really quite simple. i plant flowers and watch them grow…
I stay at home and watch the river flow.”
-george harrison
on the night before
the Barcelona – Napoli soccer match
takes place in the stadium
the streets close to cars
and open
only to people
who celebrate
with food and drinks
and especially music
as martha reeves
belts it out
under the stars
for the happy crowd.
—
‘i will always dance in the street.’
-martha reeves
headed off on a family fun river raft float trip
not real relaxing as expected
but lots of adventures/misadventures instead
so many laughs and we all survived
who could ask for anything more?
—
“rejoice as summer should…chase away sorrows by living.”
-melissa marr, darkest mercy
—
argo park, huron river, Ann Arbor, michigan, u.s.a. – summer 2019
and so I have sold the cottage
the place where I have lived the longest
where I have spent some of my best years
after a whirling roller coaster ride of a sale
each grandie takes a fairy house
to begin a village at their own home
family and friends help with the first steps
to move the things that I most want to keep
into a small space
(some of my grandies working hard)
then arrive at a daughter’s house
for a short stay
with olive the cat not the oil, in tow
while I await my new home
still to be in ann arbor
as I move to simplify my life
and live near what matters to me most
family, friends,
the natural beauty of a park, the water, a garden
and a town which is only a short walk away.
(not my new home, but pretty comfortable)
in what can best be described as a ‘math miracle”
there is room to spare after filling this small space
with only my favorite things.
interesting to consider how much space
we would each need
to store
only those things that we really want to keep.
the adventure continues
along a path that is never a straight course
but always exactly right where I need to be.
—
“all deep changes are preceded by chaos.”
-deepak chopra
