Syria

 

 pick a hole in the ground

with dirty fingernails

sow dragon's teeth

under a sprinkle of late summer rain

skin begging to fall off

in ribbons

twin boys paddling the skies

good-bye Mr. Bashar al-Assad

crows call out

bound for heaven

falling brown eyes of boys

swift bribe

slow sunrise

pick a hole in the ground

it's August

mouths froth

and silently scream

I surrender

I die 

student blogs

http://web2play.pbworks.com/f/Post+Writing+with+Web+Logs+copy.pdf

This is an article I want to go back to when I think about Fiona starting blogs at school -- maybe as a Friday Activity.

Oh, Maira!

http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com

 

I Love Maira Kalman.  The only blog I ever read was hers up until this Spring, so I really missed the boat on what most blogs were like.  I actually read her blog once it was made into a book, The Principles of Uncertainty.  

The painting above is of her in her studio, by her -- probably in gauche.

She paints and illustrates books.  She writes too and does not seem heavily concerned with doing things the way others expect things to be done.  Thank goodness.

Her text often appears right on top of the paintings, which seems nice, especially in her lovely handwriting.
She seems old fashioned to me, with her paints and her love of walking around cities, with the stories she tells about life and love and family ... and humanity.  But then it all shows up on a blog.
Lucky me.
Lucky you.
Her paintings and meandering thoughts are the cure for tough days in the world.

End of August

 

One of the last skiff rides before school starts.

The Union Fair week always seems to be when the nights start to get chilly.  The girls walked around looking at people and going on rides, Sam stood trying to find someone to go on the sickness-inducing Zipper with him for what seemed like hours.  Charlie stuck his hands in to pet the grey geese even though there was a clear sign saying DO NOT TOUCH, THEY WILL BITE.  They tried their best to bite his fingers off but didn't succeed.  He wants a grey goose but it would terrorize his hens.

I sat with this guy while the kids played at Jump Rock.  I wasn't hot enough to swim plus the last time I went in that bacteria-lake,  I coughed for three and a half weeks.

Moonflower

I woke up this morning and the first thing I saw when I stepped out the back door was this giant, fleshy moonflower. 

Not

I'm at the beach near my house.  This is my great big outing.
 I wonder if anyone is at home scrubbing the floor or crying in her kale salad?

Or coughing for the third week in a row?

Summer in Maine is a lovely time.  Like a Robert McCloskey children's story.  

Time of Wonder is just like home to me.

I'm watching the harbor but not too closely.

I'm glad I can't see Rockport Harbor from here.  That would not be peaceful for me at all.

summer girl