As this darkness falls after the throbbing beauty of sky paints line and color in violent stripes -

promise you will not go.

We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor

glimpse of France, of weathered wood; the story of what once was

Garden cherry tomatoes

With a family of six, laundry is just never done. I walk down two flights of stairs, pop in the clothes and if there is a minute or two to spare, wander through the garden/jungle to see what there is to see.

Sometimes there is a blueberry to suck on, or a blackberry to pluck from its thorny vine. But the past week has afforded bright red tomatoes, which technically I'm supposed to share with the kids.

But not this week.

I've been shamelessly popping them in my mouth the minute I find them... one - two -three - pop - pop - pop.

And that was the fate of these three lovely specimens.

The end.

Some things just turn out to be a no-go. But when every way you turn you see the yellow diamond, remember there is still one way out ...

...and that is up! Time to fly!

Strong men skilled in dealing with life protect with instinctive ease the beauty that is theirs. And behind them me - following for a few stolen moments, watching.



It is the dance of fatherhood. The innocence of youth. The hand that always knows just exactly where you are...

Those who don't feel this love pulling them like a river.
Those who don't drink dawn like a cup of spring water
or take in sunset like supper,
those who don't want to change, let them sleep.



This love is beyond the study of theology,
that old trickery and hypocrisy.
If you want to improve your mind
that way, sleep on.

I've given up on my brain,
I've torn the cloth to shreds
and thrown it away. If you're not
completely naked, wrap
your beautiful robe of words
around you,
and sleep.

(Jelaluddin Rumi)