Now What?

A good, good late afternoon and evening a week ago to celebrate Independence Day. The perfectly timed late-day weather break meant a very enjoyable late afternoon barbeque meal on the back porch at the farm followed by Aidan's fireworks show amid beautiful skies and wafts of cool breeze.

The beginning of Wendy's fresh from the garden zucchini casserole. We reminisced about the old, glass dish she inherited from me that once was new in my own early kitchen.

Aidan's test case first rocket firing.

One of the bigger firings he set off...

It was especially satisfying that the weather that evening was so comfortable and welcome.

Keoni is in CA for the summer and we did miss him, yet happy he is able to pursue an important direction in his life.

Out in Tucson, Paula has continued her daily desert color renderings. She shared June with us including a peak at her process during the month...

With Palo Verde tree seedpod.

It's a treat to see Paula's Southwestern colors on my screen and how well and inquisitively she looks at so many aspects of that beautiful region. She writes in an email that she counted the peak-time pincushion cactus blooms one recent day in their yard. There were 576. Then, the next day she found the count had increased dramatically to 1206!!! Yes, it was hot! 100+ degrees. Such is love for the desert southwest. I get it.

It's pretty quiet now. Aidan is taking care of the farm while Wendy and John visit friends in upstate NY. He has mowed the perimeter of the farm where we walk and will cut back some branches now over-growing the pathways. We're in a short break from the heat, soon ending.

It's still a little strange coming out of the deep pandemic isolations. All is okay yet reëstablishing direction and commitment remain somewhat unsettling. Sort of an individual (and collective, I think), "Now what?!"