As Blue and I step out our front door a teenage girl wheeling by says with a smile, “What a beautiful dog.” I reply, “Thanks. You have a unicycle.” She smiles wider and cycles on her way while the dog and I walk the other. As we circle the block, our paths again crisscross, and we share another smile. First time I’ve seen her and her unicycle in our neighborhood. Quite unexpected. Rather wonderful. This glimmer of circus flair among the beige houses.
September 19, 2015
early morning
drizzly day
pajama clad
dog walk
mismatched
polka dot tank top
floral swirl pj pants
tired eyes
no sunglasses for disguise
soft rain
gentle
didn’t see anyone
thankful
must be summertime
August 9, 2015
It happened again just now. A silver pest control truck slowed down and a silver haired mustachioed man said, “THAT is a beautiful dog.” I said, “Thank you” with a smile and he drove on. I turned to Blue, standing beside me in the driveway, and told him he is handsome. Traffic stopping handsome even. He’s a sweet one too. My faithful canine companion. Woof.
April 16, 2015
the moon is full
the stars are bright
fresh snow shimmers
on a winter’s night
a rabbit waits
a dog barks
the woman walks
brrrrr shiver
February 4, 2015
The firefighters just flushed the hydrant in front of my house
Little unexpected excitement
Blue heard Jake barking while they did the hydrant around the corner
We had to go investigate
Saw the water spraying but stopped by the fence for the dogs to say hi and didn’t go around the corner
Saw three young children and their parents splashing in the street
Smiled at their happy
Then here came the truck to park by our curb
We watched from the sidewalk across the street
‘We’ being two dogs, three adults and the three hopeful children wanting to splash some more
This hydrant not making as many puddles as before
No splashing after all
Parting ways with, “Have a good day” and “See you later”
Blue and I cross for home
Staying dry other than bare feet through the puddles in the street
My boys slept through it
Had it not been for my dog I’d have missed it too
July 5, 2014
A snapshot of a moment from before 9:30am. My oldest woke up right after the dog and I came inside. The youngest will appear with some prodding before noon. The lazy hazy days of summertime are here.
Spring has been extra beautiful this year
maybe it’s because winter was so extra cold and snowy
maybe it’s just because every spring my heart soars as the trees and flowers bud and bloom
daffodils have come and gone
tulips are still tuliping
lilacs are just beginning
magnolias and forsythia fade into redbuds and the white burst of Bradford Pears
oh
Springtime
the sky seems extra blue
the birds serenade with the most melodious of songs
especially this morning
in the quiet stillness
of that moment just before dawn
I heard them through my bedroom window
saw the sun filtering in
heard the dog stir
we walked
few cars
just us and a few other early dogs
thankful for the lack of wind
savoring the sunshine and blue skies
a backdrop for the renewal of Spring
it’s all rather glorious
simple joys
early on a Sunday morning
May 4, 2014
Monday morning after the time change.
My fifth grade boy wanted to stay burrowed in his bed.
Eventually he got up, ate and dressed.
The school bus was 20 minutes late.
An unusual occurrence.
A snowball fight ensued.
Throwing, dodging, trash talk, laughter, and a few hits too.
Where is the bus?
Each creak and squeak carried on the air got our hopes up.
Nope.
Dump truck.
End loader.
It’s also garbage day in our neighborhood.
What time is it?
We speculated on where the bus might be.
Broken down?
Driver overslept?
Or got amnesia?
One boy asked, “What’s that?”
I replied, “When you forget who you are.”
Then we saw the flash of yellow begin as the bus appeared around a corner.
The bus!
There it is!
Finally.
Just in a nick o’time to take the children to school without being late.
All snow play ceased as the line formed once again.
One by one they step aboard.
“Good morning,” says the driver.
*whew*
Made it.
March 10, 2014
Nothing like a little bit of extra excitement on a groggy Monday, the day after the time change.
No school here
Lots of snow
Just in from shoveling
Was gonna just do front porch and steps
Then a path to sidewalk
Then sidewalk
Then half the drive
Threw Blue inside for nonstop woofing
Kept shoveling
Boys zzzz’ing
Boys who were wild, knowing it was gonna be a snow day, and didn’t go to bed until sometime after 10pm
Was about ready to say, “Enough”
Then I saw Snowblowerman
My hero today 🙂
Not that I wasn’t gonna take my oldest son up on his offer to help me shovel today
I was
But the neighbor who was snowblowing his sidewalk kept coming my way
I’d done my part of the sidewalk and a little more already
It was that driveway
He offered, said it’d just take a sec, commented, “That’s some drift.”
It really was
I accepted and said, “Thank you.”
He really was done lickety split
I stayed outside while he worked
Kept my shovel moving
Just a few back and forth passes, stopping to adjust where the snow was blowing, then done, “Voila”
I said, “Thank you” again
And added, “That was amazing.”
I’m not even sure which house he lives in, just the direction he walked from, blowing snow as he arrived and as he left
Done now
So thankful that it is
Kindness
Neighbors helping neighbors
I love my neighborhood
Where Blue dog and I manage to have all sorts of Adventures before 7:00am
February 5, 2014
crunch of snow
under boots
jingle of tags
give away the dog
paws are silent
beside me
our walk a dance
of ice avoiding
Blue knows first
he sidesteps
I follow
other times
the leash tension
keeps me upright
I am thankful
we walk
meandering
familiar sidewalks
here and there
throughout the day
and into the night
crunch of snow
under my boots
jingle of tags
silent paws
a woman
and her dog
leaving footprints
as they go
February 4, 2014
in listing sidewalk smiles
those thus far today
I nearly forgot one quick exchange
a piece of mail reminded me
moments are so fleeting
this one is worth saving
that dog and I
walked through the park
on the paved path yet again
then we round the corner
back in the neighborhood
and spy a big red shield
Salvation Army kind
a truck emblazoned
with the words,
“Doing the most good”
Blue lunges
wanting to chase the truck
he’a a hound dog
through and through
I see the driver smile
as he completes the turn
he may have seen mine first
(there was a laugh too)
before I reeled my dog back in
there is no such thing as “heel”
we’ll keep trying…
the driver honked in greeting
smiles follow in our wake
through windows, doors,
passersby and drivers
we circle back inside
we’re in and out a lot
January 16, 2014
Turquoise Tangles 