100 days of summer :: day 14

“When I am alone the flowers are really seen; I can pay attention to them. They are felt as presences. Without them I would die. Why do I say that? Partly because they change before my eyes. They live and die in a few days; they keep me closely in touch with process, with growth, and also with dying. I am floated on their moments.” - May Sarton

a beautiful summer day,
coffee in my pajamas with Baker on the deck,
the quiet that surrounds us, the bunny that hopped by
watching the first boats out on the lake
stick class at the marina, kites flying, picnic blankets spread about
talking around the BBQ while he grills the chicken
he cooks for us, and once again the food is amazing
how I see glimmers of the little boy he once was,
a tilt of the head, his laugh, the way he smiles

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100 days of summer :: day 13

“The library in summer is the most wonderful thing because there you get books on any subject and read them each for only as long as they hold your interest, abandoning any that don't, halfway or a quarter of the way through if you like, and store up all that knowledge in the happy corners of your mind for your own self and not to show off how much you know or spit it back at your teacher on a test paper.”

― Polly Horvath, My One Hundred Adventures

the newly designed large print section at the library
the perfect weather, sunshine and a light breeze
meeting the kids for cider and chips in the afternoon
love notes from Percy
thinking about my mom and dad today (my dad in the top left corner with the guitar
my mom with a string of fish they caught.)
wondering what they would think about the state of our country right now

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100 days of summer :: day 12

“How nice it is to be us, Big Bear thought.
Two brown bears in two fine boats sailing on a blue, blue lake.

And he was happy.”

― Eve Bunting, Big Bear's Big Boat

a spur of the moment meet up for lunch at a new place, on an old pier
boat watching and all of us picking the one we would like if they offered them up, cheap
remembering when he lived on a boat with his dog when he was finishing up college
another little snake in the garden this morning and how I did not scream, and calmly walked away
feeling like Bellingham is home now and how lucky we are to have landed here
slushies for Percy and me, a beer for everyone else ….
and really good pizza!

***

100 days of summer :: day 11

“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say "It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem." Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”

― Fred Rogers

an overflowing bug jar (no bugs were hurt in this quest)
the way he laughs with his whole body
hugs that almost knock me off my feet
an hour in the Marine Center looking in all the tanks
and a big thank you to the woman who answered all his questions
going to the park after where we had snacks, and I watched as he hunted for feathers
coming home and feeling loved to the moon and back
wanting to hold on to every moment that I can with this sweet boy

***

100 days of summer :: day 10

“If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for a moment.”

― Georgia O'Keefe

laying in bed this morning and listening to the birds
watering the garden at dawn, before the neighborhood wakes up
the flaming red maple tree out the bedroom window
those Almond Windmill cookies from Trader Joes
finding beauty in a fading peony

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100 days of summer:: day 8

“I thought I was growing a garden, but the garden was quietly growing me all along.”

― Bhuwan Thapaliya

A rare day at home alone, with nothing that needs to get done.
the sound of the crows across the lake
leftover broccoli salad for lunch,
a hair cut, and how I can always trust Mandy to have a meaningful conversation with me
filling the vases with flowers for the house
short sleeve t-shirt, all day long!

***