perennials

there's my perennial garden, taken out the window during a rain storm as i experimented with settings on my new camera. note the milkweed standing tall and proud and the dead lupine pods on brittle brown stems! still, this is about as good as this garden gets. in a few weeks, most of the flowers will be dead on their stems (or composted centerpieces) with only the autumn joy sedum for color and perhaps the rosy morning glories climbing that trellis, should they have enough time to bloom. every year i buy cosmos seed for annual color. and every year i never get around to planting them. and i am always so sorry come august.

morning stroll

up and out early to walk, an activity i have promised myself i will resume now that i presumably have more time. but i bring my small camera, of course, and get waylaid by nature and the fascination of the roadside. it takes me twice as long to "walk" as i had planned - but i start my day by seeing some wondrous things...

missing maine

every summer, my brothers and sisters and i travel to a rented house and visit together for a whole week. some of us bring their children and some their children's children. this vacation has become one of my favorite times of the year. during the days, we all go our own separate ways and do our own things, singly or in pairs, but in the evenings, we gather together for dinner and conversation and red sox games on tv. we laugh, we reminisce, we play cutthroat board games. it's so wonderful to be with my family for this extended period of time, to have endless hours to get caught up on the events of the past year, and to store up new memories for the cooler, busier seasons to come. i miss my family this morning - it's always bittersweet when our time together is over for another year.

riches from the beach

found on the beach today: a dollar and a half dollar. the little girl insisted i add the quarter dollar, too!

finished.

for the most part, tonight was my final time at school. i filed documents, deleted folders, finalized lists, covered shelves. i took down the stuffed seagull that's flown over every desk i've had. recycled the remains of my personalized notepad. left treasures for colleagues. turned in my keys. reminisced, and cried.

here's a motley collection of things i had set aside during the days i spent clearing out and packing. together, it forms a collage that represents everything i believed in as a teacher, all the things that were important to me: kids, knowledge, wisdom, books, curiosity, colleagues, developmental stages, wonder, laughter. and fun. always fun.

the elephants

the circus came back to our town today. the little girl and i were there early this morning to watch the set up, as we did last year. of all the animals there, the elephants were the most captivating to me this year, and i'm not sure why. massive creatures, docile, and seemingly content. fascinating to photograph.

4th of july

these are still my favorite fireworks. 

i seek them out every year, i'm still in awe of the animation, and they still make me laugh!

 

 hope your independence day was spectacular!

go away, rain

this morning i am wishing that some of this persistent new england rain would turn around on itself and head back toward the midwest, toward arizona, where it sounds like it is sorely needed. folks there have been in my thoughts for hours now.