Finger Snap: Middle of June

Glimpse of downtown from an elevated train.

Beyond the pickets, our neighbor's prairie: gone. 

Another neighbor's picturesque yard design

Don't let the sun go down on me

Leaves up close and personal 

A sliver of sun brightens a block 

Our pride of color 

Muted color; a surprise bloom

Shocked to wake on a Sunday to see a sofa on a curb. 

Go Hawkeyes! 

Greens and lavenders, a pleasing combo 

Blooms too heavy for their stalks 

And in other news, my younger brother called me on Sunday to say, among other things, that he was sorry for stealing my car 40 years ago. I'm still processing he weight of the confession and contrition. While not quite the other shoe dropping it is something.

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She Would Have Been Seventy-Seven

Me and Mom 1980-ish

Muddy Waters mural by Eduardo Korba

Traffic on the Chicago River

Vietnam Memorial along the River Walk 

One of the many chill out spots along the River Walk 

 

Entry to Northerly Island on a rany afternoon

Birds on the Beach

A gorilla suited performer belting out Man in the Mirror

 

On a clearer day Navy Pier is visible. 

View from  EL platform looking East. 

 My mom would not have had the stamina for all the walking I did on Friday but she would have appreciated many of the sights seen. The rain that came later in the afternoon cut the second part of the journey short. But all-in-all it was a day full of reflection, history, sights, and sounds. She was with me every step of the way.

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Color Me This

She spoke with an accent. I don't have an ear for that kind of thing, so I do not know the origin of her speech, only that it is different from my own. So much about her is different. That is, in part, the pull of the attraction. At least on my side. I do not know if she feels the pull in the way I do, that too, may be a difference between us. 

Thus is a beginning that has niggled my brain for days and days and days. I haven't been able to get too far beyond this beginning. But I hope that with the warmer (most days, last Thursday and Friday not-with-standing) weather, longer daylight hours, high hopes of evening bike rides, and the settlement of some worries will help dis-lodge the story (any story) the twists just beyond my grasp..

In the meantime, here we go barreling toward the end of May where many thoughts turn toward summer days and fun times. As much as I have always loved summer, I yearn to slow the pace toward those months, toward savoring the flavors of May (and Spring) and the stories these days have in store to tell.

Welcome to this May Day. Color it as you will.

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May Days

A Block In The Neighborhood

May is National Bike Month. Bike to Work day was the eleventh. I didn't bike to work, I may not ever--at least so long as I work where I work. Unsettling is that I haven't been on my bike this season at all. If the rains stay away Melody could see some action this weekend. 

Soon it will be my mother's birthday. I've arranged to have the day off from work. The plan is to be outside, playing tourist in the city, snapping pictures, having a pleasant day, in her honor. I tried to arrange a date with one of my cousins but she was not interested. Oh well, I shall see how the day plays out. 

Speaking of family, I haven't spoken to my older brother in well over a year. We (my younger brother, older brother, and step-brother) are supposed to be coming to some agreement regarding a lawsuit filed on our father's behalf. My younger brother and I talked and we're on the same page. he said he'd speak with the others. He's stalling because he knows there will be push-back, dissent, disagreement, anger.

                                                                             

 

 And on a brighter note, here is our pooch. She is thrilled with being outdoors, sniffing freshly cut grasses and more. During one of our walks we came upon a small boy, maybe 5 years old. He told his dad to look, "it's like a big version of a poodle!" 

Welcome to Monday. Welcome to the middle of May. 

                                                                             

                                                                              

MORE MM BLOGS

Basically

 Everybody Loves the Sunshine 1

 Looks like Spring, Feels Like Autumn

 I covet a neighbor's groundcover

 Everbody Loves the Sunshine 2 

No match for our wind, our rain

MICRO MONDAY 

Forty Questions in Parts - Part One

Once again, someone suggested a kind of, "getting to know you" type game. The questions are by-and-large limited in scope requiring mostly one word answers. I played but am calling, "re-do". Welcome to part one:

1. Do you like bleu cheese? I do but within certain limits as in only as one of the components of a Cobb Salad, a condiment included with a Buffalo Chicken sandwich or salad, and bleu cheese stuffed olives (with or without the martini). 


2. Coke or Pepsi? I don't drink a lot of soda but when I do, my number one go to is regular Pepsi or Diet Coke.I prefer colas over any other kind of soda. If a cola isn't available or I'm feeling a little different, I choose Ginger Ale. Soda flavors like 7-Up, Sprite, or Mountain Dew do not appeal. However, these days, nine out of ten times I would choose lime flavored fizzy water if given a choice. 


3. Do you own a gun? The first gut reaction / answer was NO!!! But after thinking a bit I realized I do own guns; glue and staple. In fact, I have two glue guns.  


4. What flavor Kool aid? I don't drink Kool-Aid. I had allergies that limited any intake of foods and beverages with citrus or citric acid. So, even as a kid, not much in the way of Kool-Aid, lemonade, popsicles, or even strawberries, lemons, oranges. I did mix Kool-Aid for my son and daughter when they were kids. The popular flavors were strawberry and grape. My daughter preferred strawberry and my son, grape.  


5. What do you think of Hot Dogs? Three or four times a year, I crave and lean in to a 100% Vienna Beef, a poppy seed bun, yellow mustard (never ketchup) sweet pickle relish, sport pepper, white onion, tomato, celery salt, and kosher dill pickle. And natural cut fries on the side. With a Pepsi. Three or four times a year, the perfect lunch. 

                                      

MORE MONDAY BLOGS! 

These Days In Photos

Sunday Walk 3.5M Over 10,000 steps 

Purple, Green, In between

Caught in mid transition 

Beginning of scenic route home

Sky Over Brown Line Rails 

Oh look, Hostas! 

In a week, there will be green

For weeks now, I have snapped at minimum a photo a day to not only document the day but also to train observational skills. And for inspire. And to train task discipline. And to stop and see the beauty of a day.

Welcome to Monday  

More. More. More.