Hobbling Off to Waterloo

3 hours with Dr. G today. They x-rayed O's knee
and discovered a crack in his kneecap and wrapped
something called a "knee immobilizer" around it.
Afterward we hobbled off to Waterloo to listen to
poetry in tents. Such beautiful weather, cool air and
bright blue sky, the leaves just beginning to fall.
We were only going to stay a little
while but O really liked it and we stayed all afternoon.
We especially enjoyed the session with Billy Collins
talking about teaching poetry.

Jim Habba's Introduction to the Festival:

"And pleasure is what i hope you find,
wherever you turn, as you begin to relax
into the sea of words and images that will
wash over you here. Leave all ordinary ideas
of control back on the shore. Enjoy the constantly
changing array of emotions and thoughts you
encounter. Trust this ocean to support you as
you float and paddle among friends. Trust it to
support you as you drift among the enchanting
and oddly familiar scenes below the surface.
We have tried to do everything we could so that
you might find swimming to be as natural as
breathing. It feels good to be home."

Jean Paul Samputu

Went to see a new artist work today in a local school. Quite amazing to hear his stories of Rwanda and listen to the music. Surprising that someone who has lost so much to genocide has become such a joyous ambassador of tolerance and forgiveness. www.samputu.com

Narrow Escape

There's a blind spot at the bend
in our road and I try to
approach it slowly most
days. Yesterday though I was zipping along in a hurry
and met a truck like the one in the picture ( maybe a
tiny bit smaller ) right at the blind spot. I narrowly
missed being flattened like a bug.

Goals and Assists

Reports from the bus all
good, 2 assists and a goal.
O scored as well. They won
3 games out of 4 this
weekend. They will be
walking on air.

September Morning

Took a ride out in the country
this morning and saw this tiny
painting in a gallery in
Chester. It's a local landscape
and the fields still look this
lush now. Weather feels like
late summer, not fall.

Apache Blessing

May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,
May the rain wash away your worries,
May the breeze blow new strength into your being,
May you walk gently through the world
and know its beauty all the days of your life.

Pleasures of the Season

The two extremes arrived by email today; the complete hockey schedule and fall planting suggestions. If I'd like one of those brilliant peonies to break through the soil next May, I need to plant it now before the season progresses and if r's team is to have another undefeated season ( well..long dramatic pause...except for that...that.. last game ) I need to do a bit more driving. Somewhere between the ice and spring blossoms, the fall mysteries are descending, one by one.

Room with a View

This was
the view
in Italy.
No glass,
no screen,
just a sweeping
panorama by day
and a treasure chest
of stars at night.

Separated from
it now
by considerable distance
but not much else.

Mythic Journeys

What a great surprise to have souveniers from Mythic Journeys arrive on my desk today. A big thank you for this thoughtful gesture, David G.

Another View of Abaco

Elbow Cay

Friends of my parents made
this stretch of beach their home
many years ago.

What Does Hold You Together ?

I saw a movie this weekend
in which one character looked
across a table at someone he
hadn’t seen in awhile and asked
“What does hold you together ?”
Such a simple question but one
that keeps cycling through my
thoughts. I am working on a list
of what holds me together. Top
of the list would be smiles.