Once in a blue moon
We go to the fair twice...
And at night.
It's a whole new world.

Back to School Open House
Can't wait for school to start!

Happy  happy birthday
To me
And to you-
As Cracker would say
I'm happy for
The small things today.

The end of summer
Starts late August
Each sunset
A little earlier
Reminding of dark days ahead
Envisioning earlier rising
Cherish late night reading
And long days dreaming.

Thank you Gary
I love you
And my new
Nexus 7
Happy birthday to me!

On the porch
Laptop cat
Recharging my batteries

Pizza Party

Good food
Good friends
Good bye summer vacation!

A year ago
I could only dream
Of things like the State Fair.
After my first chemo
It was the beginning
Of a frugal life
Conserving energy
Eating only enough
To sustain a few hours
Doing only what I had to
And nothing I wanted to
Sleeping half the day
And dreaming.
Dreaming of all the things
I missed.

Our State Fair

Is the best State Fair...

Enjoying the last days of summer 

At Minnehaha Falls

(And Sea Salt Restaurant)

Behind my garden wall
Phlox soldiers
Guard my quarters.
Bowing in the breeze
They salute
The end of summer.
Fallen comrades
Lie at their feet
Victims of the
Seasonal wars
While scattered seeds
Like bullets burrow
Into the ground
To lie in wait
For the next spring.

Back to School

What sounds awoke you
This bright school morning
Did the alarm of screams and shouts
Start the day?

What tears have you shed
Waking from frightened dreams
To a more terrifying reality?

What fear have you smelled
In the dank hallways
And recesses of the place called home?

What covers the taste of longing
The lack of food
And the void of feeling
In an empty belly?

What can I do
When you come to me
Already overwhelmed by your senses?
What can I do
But smile and take your hand
And try to help you remember
While you forget.

Back in time 

To the Renaissance Festival

A rose by any name...

"Double Delight"
At Lake Harriette Rose Garden

View from the Guthrie Bridge

And Roman Holiday was a nice view too.

Cool night for music at Como Pavilion

Mary and the Minnesota State Band

Parting with an old friend

Who's traveled many mile

Over many years.

To school and back

Hundreds of times.

Shopping sprees

And treasure hunts

Vacations

And more somber events

You got me there.

Goodbye Neon

Hello Spark.

A darkness lurks
At the edge of vision
Like the floaters
Caused by the drugs.

Hair recedes
As the curls fade
Still growing out
Of the poison that fed them.

Nails fall off
And regrow
Defying odds
And displaying resilience.

Scars remind
Not to reach too high
As their chemistry
Bring us back.

Festival of Nations-
Celebration of competition
And cooperation.
Wonder at the feats
And marvel at the miracles.
An awesome Olympics

Irish Fest

      

      Good food                  Good beer
Good music

Going to the dogs!

While I toil away
On a sandcastle creation
You've already
Crossed the moat
And pulled in the drawbridge.

Happy Birthday Joe

More Beach Musings

A walk on the beach
A trip through your mind
Seeing things from a different
Point of reference
A view from another
Vantage point

Seeing jellyfish
As a curiosity
Not a danger

Seeing the waves
As a beauty
Not a threat

Seeing the white sand
As calming
Not hot

Seeing the clouds
As a filter
Not a sunblock

Seeing the sky
As partly sunny
Not cloudy

Seeing life
With love

Sitting by the Stillwater

Friends can pick up
Right where you left off-
In the middle of a sentence
Or the midst of chaos.
They are a lighthouse,
A safe mooring
In which to weather the storm.
They offer calmness
For smooth sailing,
Or perspective
For the rocky times.
They are an anchor
For stability
With sails to catch
A dream.

Revisiting Vacation

A calm blue sea
Is less exciting to write about
Than a tsunami.

Another beautiful day
In paradise
Has less drama
Then the fall.

A sparrow on my lanai
Is a less vivid picture
Than a bird of prey.

A deep sigh of contentment
Is less musical
Then the blues.

But I prefer today.

Salmon with Sam and Amy

Great food

Great wine

Great fun!

Loring Park 

And Amy Clark's art

Back home

Gary's finger on vacation

La Jolla Seals