September out the window

I stood in the New River last evening, up to my chest, watching Diane, Pink and Kathy (with her dog in an inflatable doggie vest) swimming; yet, I hesitated to submerge.  Too cool. We walked up Ann and Rick's new serpentine path from river to house to enjoy Ann's latest libation (a concoction of raspberries, mint, ginger liquor, Italian soda and vodka - i think) and goat milk cheese. Dinner at Palisades with most delicious conversation. Diane and Pink and I driving out in blue taxi, decided our feeling of gloom was due to the tropical depression heading up from Florida.
Here's picture of Fia on first day of school in uniform. Ez says that she likes school, after some morning tears.  I miss her!

And here my two girls on a swing!

summer time disappearing

Baldwin took this wonderful picture of Fia and True coloring.  Fia is home now and starting a new school tomorrow, pre-K, in the neighborhood. Her mom or dad can walk her there in her uniform, carrying her lunch. True was 4 on Friday; he told us that he wasn't officially 4 until he blew out the candles on his cake. Oh, what delight these two year olds, of the Dragon people are.
Today there is rain and a cool front passing; it feels like on-coming fall.  I need to swim again in the river, I need to float down with Pearl again and ...

mid-August

I look forward to this time of play, of family, of good food and happy heart. I never imagined this, surprise gift of hanging in with life with all the amazing love of my two sons and their families. 
The rain before Ez and Jen and Fia arrived raised the river enough that Ez, Baldwin and I took a kayak trip. While I was on the river, musing on the zen of travel by boat, Jen organized the kids into house cleaning. I enjoyed mornings with Fia and her dad, playing with the doll house with Fia, sipping good coffee. The week was intense, leaping into an intimacy of family which most of the year is 1,000 miles apart. And there was so much to do. We did go tubing on the river twice; True in his small blow up boat tethered to Baldwin's inner tube. Fia on her mom's lap, wanting to try the boat. The river cool and fast. 

good times with cousins and all

True must be just off to the left by Baldwin. What fun, movie than dinner at the new movie theaters in Blacksburg.

The river slake in heat wave

Water snake surprised on the island below the shelf falls yesterday with a fish in its  mouth, half swallowed. I didn't want to disturb it, but the dogs and I caused it to flee with fish. 
Several days of almost 90 degrees here; but yesterday and today, thunderstorms mitigate the heat. I have yet to turn on the A/C for the nights are still cool, and daily I can hang at the river. 
I ate the first ripe tomato from the garden, first of the larger ones. I have had several ripe small cocktail tomatoes. A large yellow "Kellogg breakfast" heirloom variety which I cut and, except for the  pieces I had to immediately taste, added to a bowl with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. oh, delight. 

One week from today,  Ezra and Jen and Fia arrive for a visit, and maybe Kingsley too (Mr. Lee's pal). I so look forward to seeing them, to see the cousins playing, to feel my heart fill with happiness watching my two sons together with their families. (a photo from last year!)

Geese

The flock of geese I saw down river below the shelf falls, must have visited the swimming hole last evening, because today I was greeted by their tracks and their scat. I carefully moved the black like cheetos into the current. Later in the river I noticed one lone black swallowtail hovering over one dropping I missed and realized that in clearing the beach I had upset the butterfly's banquet. 

Like a summer school kid, I lapse

into nonverbal habit, trying to mimic bird calls at best. I do rise into chatter when grandkids appear and at qigong class and with friends. It is the summer green, tumultuous greening that lulls me into a kind of torpor, a not unhappy state. Like this morning as I weeded the onions and unfortunate beets and pole beans coming back from a trimming by some creature of the evening. Perhaps it isn't the speaking out loud that is suffering, but the occasional visit to blog. oh, yes. Lazy moi.
Perhaps these many carved figures, from a store in Addis Ababa, will prompt me to muse and linger here. I wonder if some of the faces were purposefully modeled on an enemy, a voodoo? Or perhaps some might be fertility fetishes? Or a relative honored? We did not linger and I did not ask. 
The jumble of faces reminds me of the crowds at the markets in small towns south of Addis Ababa.