Future hydrolic engineer

I took my boy up to camp this morning. After he made his name tag, put away his lunch and wrote down his memory verse for the day, he showed me his favorite spot at camp. I was not at all surprised that it involved rocks and water, nor that changing the course of the water was a large part of the activity required. Appearantly they created a dam of sorts a couple of days ago, and when he wandered downstream this morning, he found another spot that needed blocking as well.

As far as the final shot goes; it was a clear day, but I only had my phone, so the mountains in the distance are not as well resolved as they might be, but there they are, somewhere in Nevada. And yes, I do drive up and down this in my little old Corolla.

Out in the dark again

This time, I threatened the moon with a fence post if it did not hold still, so it did. Someday soon, I hope to have one of those newfangled cameras (as opposed to my three year old dinosaur) which can adapt for various ASA settings. (Monday June 19) If there is some light, a cell phone might pick it up (Tuesday June 20).

Of course if you shoot in the dark with a cell phone, it all turns green, no matter how black you think the night may be. What happens when I fall asleep in the dog's spot after a long day.
Sunday for Father's Day, we went to a concert where my husband was playing. At intermission, each child found a friend to chat with. I think they spoke to their dad too.
He sat up there by the back wall with his trombone. It is amazing that they can fit a whole symphony in such a small space.
It has been a busy week, but it is now more than half over, so I have some time to breathe and write or type or poke keys or whatever it is that I do. Maybe next week my thoughts will be more organized, or at least I will have time to get things in some semblance of order before I randomly click on that orange publish button and run off to the next big thing.

Thoughts on a short walk

put that book away
get out of bed and get dressed
it is time to go

sinuously still
seeking respite from the cold
cars could drive around

silly sprinkler runs
every time I walk by it
I am not a deer

little children write
without worrying at all
about what it means

beneath the drivel
you may find a treasure verse
so keep on reading

My morning ramble

Every morning after I get up, I take my Shadow for a walk. She has her needs and I have mine. Sometimes we just stroll around the property, and sometimes we go farther. Since school has been out, we have been taking our long walks earlier than usual. On school days, we walk one child toward the bus just before 7:00 and the other one all the way to the bus just before 8:00 and then walk anywhere between one and a half and five miles. Of course during school it is not too warm to walk after 8:00 in the morning. Shadow enjoys the scents and I enjoy the exercise. Now that school is out, that routine is gone, and everyone seems to think sleeping until 9:00 is just fine. I still wake up between 5:00 and 6:00 and Shadow still has her needs, so we have been walking much earlier than usual. It is much cooler earlier in the morning. We have had mornings in the sixties, but today dipped into the forties. I like the chill because I heat up so much when I walk.

As I walk I think. Sometimes I compose haiku, especially since I have been perusing my brothers’ creations. Most of mine are too quickly formed to be deep. I plan my day and think about what is going on that I want to share when I get home. Recently, my daughter pointed out that there is a notes section in my phone. Ah, the benefits of keeping a child around who is ahead of me on technology. I have been using it to help my leaky brain retain some of the poems I have been cogitating on. Of course, my dog thinks I am funny walking along and looking at that little black thing in my hand instead of her, but what does she know. She does love to lie on the couch when I am working on the computer. I have my end and she has hers. I let her have the end that is not by the electrical outlet, because I am so kind. The other afternoon, I was working on my computer on my bed, and she tucked into her corner where she sleeps at night.

Summer vacation is upon us, but I am still waiting for the relaxing, doing nothing and taking trips to the lake part of it to arrive. This week is a concert week. Living with a symphony musician, our lives are controlled to a point by the rehearsal and concert schedule. Someone scheduled concerts the week after school ended to start our summer at home. He even has one this afternoon. Happy Father’s Day to you too. We will take him out to dinner afterward to celebrate. I get tired even thinking about next week. We are doing Vacation Bible School at our church in the evenings. I am preparing and presenting the crafts for the kids. As if that is not enough, Bible Camp is in the morning. My son will be participating in both. My daughter will be sleeping in, and participating in the evening. The taxi driver will be busy. I am hoping to avoid working at camp other than doing registration Monday and Tuesday for a short time each morning. I plan on napping every afternoon. My son knows that he is to take his shower and a nap when he gets home from camp each day if he wants to go out in the evening. The following week is more relaxing, as the only planned activity is dropping my daughter off at camp for the week. I guess that is when I can do nothing and visit the lake, and she will just have to miss it.

When she comes home, we have another concert week, with the Fourth of July in it. At the end of that week, my daughter and I drive over the mountain to help my siblings start cleaning out Mom’s house. She has a few thoughts on what to do other than cleaning. I hope they do not occupy the whole week. We come home from that to Fair Week. The whole county seems to shut down and go to the fair. I guess that is part of the rural life. We are not showing animals (does anyone really need to see my dog?), but we are working on several fundraisers for our church. As soon as that ends, our next door neighbor heads off on vacation and I take care of her cats and dogs. The cats hate me by the end of the week, because they are not allowed out when Mama is gone. Personally, I would let them out and feed them outside, but she is afraid something might eat them if they do not come in at night, and they refuse to come in for me. The dogs love me, because I bring them food. Dogs are too easy to please. I even bring my Shadow over to play with them some days and they love that too.

The day after my neighbor returns, my daughter heads off to Spirit West Coast. When she returns, we have ten days left before high school starts. We made reservations at a motel by Lake Tahoe, but now my daughter says that Cross Country Camp is at the end of that week, in the opposite direction.

I guess I can relax when they go back to school. If you do not hear from me much, at least you know what I am up to.

my family

music in her ears
playing falling parachute
lost in her own world

snuggle warm in bed
surrounded by animals
time to get up son

Why stop right here now?
a new driver asks her mom
road work in the night

a dog on a couch
what is she thinking as she
sighs and looks at me?

come here little dog
the horse does not want to play
let’s go this way now

play pretty for me
your horn can sing so sweetly
I can sing along

honking his horn
symphony trombonist plays
morning, noon and night

I’m out with the dog
imagining doggerel
managing business

A bee in the house
looking for a way outside
scared girls running out

Father Serra sings
the children join the chorus
then they take a bow

girl in a blue car
silly Papa watch the road
be safe when you ride

care for fam’ly now
send them all your love today
later never comes