Cool Cribbage!

       The joys of A/C.  A survey of the big bluestem was conducted from the cab of the air conditioned truck. It is beautiful and helps one to imagine when the entire country hereabouts was covered with this marvelous grass.

      Then there was the sight of four acres of Bee Balm, aka. Wild Bergamot. There are number of other flowers interspersed, such as Black-eyed Susan. It's a pretty thing to behold, again from the cab of an air conditioned truck. There should be many, many happy insects. As a perennial with a rhizome root structure subsequent years should be even better.

    With the temperature at 98 and the dew point 79, it feels just like Thailand, but a long walk was forgone. 

Takk for alt,

Al

  This is the stand of bluestem that grew after the field was burned in May.

Brief..

      Yesterday in preparation for company I cleaned in the truck, notice "in". The truck may not be clean but it's cleaner. Now it's time to clean "in" The Little House for company.  Consequently this will be a brief post. I'm still upright, which is a good thing.

Takk for alt,

Al

The Little House with Kaia.

Cleaning Memory!

         In my boyhood Uncle Henry and Aunt Inga lived across the road. Inga was a fastidious housekeeper. Apparently that was not her self image. Frequently she'd remark that she cleaned house "and I had to scoop out the dirt." None of us could imagine any dirt in her house.

       This came to mind when I scooped out the dirt from the truck. With distaff company coming it was time to do some cleaning. Kaia always rode in the passenger seat. You can imagine what she left on seat, dash and windows. Perhaps I should have left a corner so there would be a 'before and after'. It can't be said that it really sparkles but by contrast....

     Once I did some dusting but it all came back, so, no more of that.

Takk for alt,

Al

The late Kaia, wonder dog!

Basketball

      The Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, my team, are leading the league at 22-6. Until today there were without their superstar. Napheesa Collier, had surgery on both ankles in the offseason. The team has thrived because of a rookie point guard, Oliva Miles and the play of two veterans, Natasha Howard and Kayla McBride.

    Today Phee (Collier) returned to play for the first time. She had 24 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes of play. The Lynx beat Los Angeles Sparks by 10 points.

   It's now mid-point of the season. The All Star game is in Chicago on July 25. The Lynx have two starters, Olivia Miles and Natisha Howard and, Courtney Young is also participating. Last year Phee was the most valuable player of the event.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

Napheesa Collier

Eerie!

            Living alone now has created an experience best described as 'eerie'. When completing a task what comes next feels strange,  like, "now, what do I do?"  It's hard to explain. The best I can make of it is, with Kaia present I often went from doing a thing alone to doing something with her. It's an empty house with just one old guy rattling around in it.

         In the field this morning I saw several monarchs. There were many milkweeds in the area. During WW II, our entire country school, about twelve students, were excused to pick milkweed pods. We were taken to the teacher's farm a couple of miles away. There was some low ground of several acres that was solid milkweed. The teacher's father had a team of horses hooked to an empty wagon. It didn't take long to fill the wagon with pods. They were used to fill flotation devices on ships. How they got from the farm to the packing areas I never thought about. Likely they were shipped by train. "Better than school" was my main  impression.

Takk for alt,

Al

Milkweed pickers at a later date.

Day 3!

       Days after major events often get counted. So, in that spirit...this is the third day since Kaia died. The grief is, both for what I miss in her absence, and for the ordinary joys she's missed these three days. As always with grief there are 'triggers' that brings it all back again. Of course I know the intensity will fade with time. Joanne often said "Grief touches grief."  It's so true that new griefs tie in to old grief from the past. One does not live as long as I have without having experienced significant grief. Though none compares with the grief of Joanne's death 8+ years ago.

   As was true when she died, the community of family and friends is once again comforting me. After her death I often wrote that it is relationships that sustain. Again, in this current sadness, that so many care so deeply, is a source of hope.  Thank you! I am very grateful.

Takk for alt,

Al

Kaia spent hours looking out the sliding glass doors in the OFH.

Dimensions of grief!

         It almost seems as if the house is hollow as I rattle around alone since Kaia died. There's the immediacy of the powerful presence of absence. She's not in the usual places doing the usual things. At every turn their is an emptiness. Our little routines are no more.

       A second aspect of the grief is the uncertainty of what it means for my future.  I can't imagine hunting without a dog. So, is it time to quit hunting? If so, should I stay in The Little House this fall, or return earlier to the OFH?  Often I said "She keeps me from being a slug."  Will I find the motivation to stay regularly active without needing to meet her needs?

     Then, too, there is the sadness for Kaia herself. It was reasonable to expect she'd have another three happy years. She was a happy dog living a very good life. I grieve that her life was cut short before she could have more good times. She will miss out on a lot.

   Takk for alt,

    Al

In addition to being very good dog, Kaia was smart and good looking.