THE DUST WILL WAIT

The fact that he is bald has absolutely nothing to do with this post. It is just punishment for teasing me unmercifully when I was a child. For instance, his rat-tail comb was sharpened to a pointy end, which he used to poke me in the butt. A favorite taunt of his was placing a finger as close as possible to my face without touching it and then chanting, "Point your finger at her nose!" "T-Bangs" was the name he tagged me with that was inspired by the haircuts that mom gave everyone when she pulled out her shears. It never occurred to me to return the insult. After all, she gave him the very same cut. Those antics are decades old, yet we still laugh at them and he remains a committed teaser and joker. Over the years, he has gained a reputation for having the funniest and most embarrassing things happen to him on a regular basis. When we have an opportunity to go to the Seattle area for a visit there is always laughter until our stomachs ache. A few years ago, h...

The hubby and I drove the six hours drive home from The Buttercup's birthday party on Sunday with smiles on our faces and very snug jeans. Alot of fun and too much food. During one of our many conversations he brought up how he reminisced while viewing a page in one of Karmyn's scrapbooks. I could hear the emotion in his voice, so I paid close attention. "That page about holding hands," he spoke softly, "really made me miss those moments when my girls would grab my hand and hold on. Maybe it was just to walk down the street, or to have help getting out of the van. Any time they held on tight I felt touched." He was quiet for a moment and then added, "I felt so proud, and so needed, and so loved." I was sure I saw a tear glistening in his eye. He's not ashamed to cry when something moves him. Apparently, remembering a favorite function of fatherhood is one of those. What are the things you remember?

The sweet little digital camera that the hubby purchased (after I dropped our old one) has encouraged me to do a little more walking. Last week I took it with me when I walked up the "creek" path, which doubles for joggers and bikers as well. I've seen beavers, mink, deer, birds, birds, birds, and once the tail end of a bear run running away through the brush. Of course, without a camera. Now I carry it often. This time I was watching the Belted King Fisher performing an acrobatic display and chattering at the ducks and geese in his fishing territory. I was zooming in on him in a tree across the water when I spotted what I thought was a huge wasp or hornet nest very high in the tree. (Thanks to Susan for bringing up bee's today.) The heavy binoculars were at home, so I continued to try to see it through my camera. Then, a weird movement caught my eye. What I thought was a giant paper wasp nest was really a Great Blue Heron sleeping on one leg with his head ben...

Yesterday I poked my nose across the fence and asked my neighbor, Lois, if she had seen any hummingbird moths this year. She responded in the negative and asked if I knew the reason. I didn't. Across the street lives Bill. He in his eighties and sees and knows everything. So I mosied on over there and asked his opinion. "By Golly," he quipped, when he finally understood what I was asking. (He is nearly deaf), "You know I haven't seen any of those critters, either." Today was a long day -- Friday is a love-hate day for me. I work until 6, and then I come home and usually get to have dinner somewhere with our friends Bud, Vee, and little K. Tonight we ordered pizza. Before they and the pizza showed up, I scampered out to the back fence to empty my small counter top composter into the big black bin. AND GUESS WHAT I ENCOUNTERED. You betcha - the first White-Lined Sphinx Moth of the season. The camera was sitting beside the computer where the hubby had downloade...

Karmyns budding artists. Two years ago, when my Ben'jammin was 3 1/2 and my Buttercup was just barely 1, both of them drew a picture for grandma's calendar. 'Jammin drew a bluebird. I thought it would fly! Buttercup gave me a flock of bluebirds. I'm sure I see a beak in there! Don't you?

The "falling sun" looked like a Great Ball O' Fire! ...

(Tessy in the flower bed Saturday following me around as I deadheaded.) Friday night Tessy (The Contessa) slipped out an opening door sometime near bedtime and could not be coaxed back inside. Several times this has happened in the past and I've been able to trick her or scare her into returning to the house. Other times I have fretted into the wee hours of the morning. It just isn't safe to let a cat outside at night that has been declawed. (She came to us declawed and spade.) This time I was so tired that I said, "tsk, tsk!" (or something near that) and formulated a new plan. I pressed the electric gargage door so that it stopped at about 4 inches off the ground. She would be able to get back into the garage, and then into the family room through her special cat door. I hoped for her safe return. About 4 a.m. I woke with some of my usual aches and pains. After grabbing my "blankie" and walking down the hall to the...