Foggy morning

This is a foggy morning. Fog creates such a serene feeling. That's a good way to start the day. When I walked down to the river I saw that the people who build the little stone towers in the water have been at it again. (see Surprising art - with a surprise from last June.) I had also seen them further downstream on Monday morning. When I spotted them that first time they made quite an impression. They seemed like such an unexpected, spontaneous burst of creativity. They seem a little overdone now. Sometimes a little bit of something really is better.

I heard wood thrushes again today, too. Wood thrush songs always seem to echo in the air. I don't know if it's the quality of their voices that create this impression or if they tend to locate themselves in places that echo. The foggy morning, the smell of the honeysuckle and the bird songs made a memorable start to the day.

A good year for locust trees

When I was driving yesterday I noticed that the locust trees are blooming more heavily than usual this year. We have had a lot of rain in the last few weeks and that probably had something to do with it. This morning is cool and foggy and the air is heavy with the scent of the locust flowers. This has always been one of my favorite times of year. The locusts will be followed by roses and honeysuckle and peonies. They all perfume the morning air.

I have been busy with an assortment of duties and tasks lately and haven't had time to spend on some less pressing but more important things. It's easy to get caught up in that sort of whirl. I'll be working on changing that pattern now. It will take a conscious effort.

I'll start by leaving work a little early this afternoon to take the kayak out on the river. It promises to be a beautiful day and I don't want to waste it.

Another loss

On Friday my aunt Joan died. Her name is pronounced as Joanne. She was actually my mother's cousin which makes her really a second or third cousin of mine. I'm not good at this sort of definition. To me, she fell into the aunt category - being part of the group of adults that we were paraded past when we went back to the Windber/Johnstown area to visit relatives. Joan lived in a really cool house up on Route 30 near Stoystown, PA and going to visit there was always an adventure. What I and all of my family will remember most about her is the way she laughed. She was an intelligent, direct, and matter-of-fact woman. Her laugh carried with it confidence, amusement, perspective and fellowship with everyone within earshot.

Losing Joan is to lose yet another of the constants from my childhood. There have been many such losses over these past several months. I will remember her always and will remember her laughing. That was a great gift to leave with us.