"sunshine on our shoulders . . ."

. . . makes us mighty pleased to live on a lake on such a weekend as this one has been! I'm afraid I have to admit, however, that I have not braved the lake water --yet--but I am happily documenting those who do :-)

family style

Tonight I teased Lou for knowing how to treat his women right--my mother and I, that is. We were out for a fine evening, being wined and dined in style . . . true to our family's style: it was a busy day for us all, you see. My work day ended slightly early, as I had to head out a bit before usual for a doctor's appointment. Mom was accompanying me for the exciting outing, after her weekly dump run. Rendezvousing in the Hannaford's parking lot, we consolidated cars and continued for the hour commute to the clinic. A few directional issues later, we were headed back to our planned meeting point.
Lou had gone from work to the nursing home to visit his mother and, afterwards, he joined us back in the parking lot. Thanks to cell phone correspondence, our evening was well synchronized: Lou hopped from the subaru into the jeep, I doled out the plastic utensils from the back seat, and we ate our pita chips and pasta salad in the grocery store lot, Lou in his srubs and mom with her hair still damp from the pool. First course in our "progressive dinner.
Our intended next stop was down the road to the donut shop, to use a gift card . . . but it had already closed for the evening, here in our bustling metropolis. So we settled for a convenience store, where we got hot chocolate from the vending machine. Lou and I ping ponged potential lyrics for our own version of "Hey Diddle Diddle" while Mom gave her order at the Quik Stop. We debated the effects of the new tax law instated as we lingered there in the parking lot. Then, polishing off the last of the date bar we passed around to split between us, we headed back to the grocery store, split into our respective vehicles, and wound along the country roads, home to the pets and people awaiting. Just another day . . .
Funny the sorts of things that make you muse on how sweet it is to be a part of a family :-)

in that blue canoe

After watching folks out and about on the lake today, I figured I had better get out there too . . . in that blue canoe :-)

a blue canoe . . .

. . . and the morning light made this too lovely of a sight to resist: I ran past it . . . then raced home, grabbed my camera, and returned before the photo op had run away :-)

yesterday's poem

Inspired by a contest being run by a local Ice Cream Parlor, I wrote a poem for my stepdad for Father's Day. The subject was "What flavor ice cream would your Dad be, and why?" This is what I ended up with . . .
*Note: circumstances portrayed are entirely fictional ;-)

Ode to a Flavor

"If you were an ice cream, Pop, what flavor'd you be?"
"Why, plain old vanilla, I reckon," said he.

Raising my eyebrows & frowning, I turned,
And looked at my Mama, so serene & so learned.

"Mother-Dear," said I, "what do you say on this one?
You've always been right, judging from who's lost & who's won . . . "

"Surely," she said then, "I know just the one:
Rocky Road, I would think, and this here's the rea-zun:

It suits him quite perfectly, I'm sure you'll agree--
A bit messy, a bit nutty and, I guess, well, rock-y" ;-)

in the [farming] flesh

After I made my daily purchase [swiss chard], I was pleased to glimpse my radish-bearing, farming friend behind the shed. After snapping this shot, I called out to her that I had "gotten" her this time on film. She laughed and replied that so long as she looked happy she didn't mind . . . I replied that she needn't fear as, so far as I am concerned, she always looks perfectly, contentedly cheery.

hettie & herb

The afternoon's encounter with a delightful couple, with tales to tell, prompted this photograph. This photograph, in turn, prompted its own story: as I requested permission to capture them on film, Herb launched into the rousing account of a high-speed chase along the River Thames, back during the 2nd World War . . .