vacation thought

Son sits with me

to tell of his imminent departure

for Colorado

We sit under the pondering Buddha/

- the two contemplate -

after David arrives and disgorges

his wife and three children

his plan is to head alone to a favorite

mountaintop

and quiet down......

all Ipods and listening devices

unplugged

in silence.

Will migratng songbirds survive BP oil spill?

....time will tell.

Editorial comment, 7-25-10

Verlyn Klinkenborg, New York Times

sensitive writer

This just in:

Son Lee reports on his blog

he has successfully made it through his summer school elementary kids teaching stint in Houston. CHECK IT OUT. http://leezor.blogspot.com/
Considerable esteem is felt by his parental units. The University of Wisconsin diplomas for Lee AND daughter Erin arrived here in our new mailbox this week, per UW's practice of mailing the sheepskins after graduation. The large padded envelopes were left in our lobby by the postal woman who rung our bell to report that she was leaving them against the wall down there because they were too big to get in our mail chamber.

TOO BIG is the message here.

loyalty

A Deposition
by Anne Porter Living Things: Collected Poems)

from Garrrison Keillor's WRITERS ALMANAC

which the raccoon news receives daily by Email

The nursemaid Agnes Cassidy

A woman not much bigger

Than a child

The eldest of thirteen

Came straight from Donegal

One of her eyes

Was pulled askew

Mauled by the forceps

Of a country doctor

Who had been drinking

The night that she was born

But her small flat

Unlucky face

Bore marks

Of Celtic beauty

And she was strong

Her faith was silent

Sure

And passionate

She'd gladly walk

Ten miles

In any weather

For a taste of God

And when her mother died

In Ireland

And a fierce sense of duty

Was dragging her

Back to the farm in Donegal

To help her father

She wept at leaving

The little fiery boy

Whose nurse she'd been

Whom she had named

The Fighting Irishman

And whom she loved she said

As much as she loved anyone.

You shoulda been here......well, you sort of were

Sausagemente avec potato et peppier

Late yesterday afternoon,

while Mom went out to Camps to pick blackberries

I stayed home to prepare your favorite dish

sausage and potatoes/

I knew you would savor it

a main dish of your childhood

so I brought your picture down

in honor of the occasion

and the pleasant aroma

circled your likeness/

It was as good as usual

and just-picked blackberries

and ice cream

for dessert/

Laurie Dix Kari of Wasilla AK

Laurie is the Director

of Family Promise Homeless Shelter

Mat-Su Valley, Alaska

She just sent this video of an upcoming cardboard city event.

Please watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDlen2izn9A

Son of mine performs mighty feat

David takes old dad camping in Door Co. Oct. 06

Greets Great Spirit