It lives!

When we

sought refuge from a storm

we carried our houseplants

to the loft

on the third floor of the Putney

but in a struggle to maintain

wholeness of the 25 year old

'immoveable' cactus,

going through the outer lobby door

a major branch of

the ancient being

was caught and severed.

Crestfallen,

we gathered up the heavy piece

and toted it up three floors in the elevator

to its waiting

new home.

When we set it down

on the kitchen counter it wept white

juice.

So did the major stalk.

But then Dee found a pot

that exclaimed joy

and put the broked piece

in some soil from the major terra

cotta urn.

The piece did not die.

On the window sill

overlooking the struggling

Clarke Hotel

the piece throws out new leaves

in the northwestern sun

ahead of the spines to come.

........................

(footnote: In the rarified air of the downtown,

the Clarke fights on. The liquor license remains

operative for another 60 days. LIVE ON!)

............

Dee is a craftswoman. Our nephew Luke in Pleasant Valley has a birthday on July Fourth. Usually she comes up with a home-made greeting card for him - as she does for other family members - and this year looked up another significance for the Fourth of July.

It turns out Independence Day is also known as National Fry An Egg On the Sidewalk Day.

So Dee made a birthday card for Luke on that theme. For the pavement she clipped a piece of sandpaper........