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The landscaping around my new house was very Fred Flinstone: all the flower beds were edged with field stone. Now, I like the look of field stone in a wall, like Frost’s “Mending Wall,” or maybe a fireplace surround, but not stuck along the edge of the lawn like cake flowers. For the last week I’ve been systematically moving the stone to a large pile. Unlike Frost, I have no wall to build, though, so I just have to find someone who does.
Even though summer’s almost over, I’m working on a poem that references the insect sounds that make a summer night: crickets, cicadas, katydids (grasshoppers), and frogs. The only bird sound is an occasional owl until very early in the morning. Strangely, the sounds are musical, but not melodic. I’m still having trouble getting the words right, but I’m enjoying the research.
It’s September 1st, and I’m trying today to recapture the feeling of “first day of school.” Mostly I’m just irritated that I’m trapped behind a school bus on the way to work.
I spent the summer moving. Over Memorial Day weekend I decided to move, then spent the next two weeks repainting (neutralizing) and doing a few little fixes. I got lucky with the sale: I listed it on Monday and sold it by that weekend. I had to crank to find somewhere new to live and close on it. Houses were selling fast in the Madison area (contrary to the death-knell sounded by the media), but I found one and was able to close just two weeks after my sale. The new place has some “dressed in the 70’s” issues (yes, country-stripe wallpaper was fashionable once), but I’ve chomped through most of those already. Big thanks to a friend who was immeasurably helpful, handy and clever — and a tireless worker (at 55!). Labor Day weekend I’m going to demolish a Rube Goldberg-esque storage and workbench mess in the garage. If I bust it hard at the beginning of the weekend, there may be a nap on the deck waiting for me on Monday. A girl’s gotta dream.
With the major work out of the way, it’s back to writing daily, too.
Poetiosity 