June 17

How long does Love, with a capital L, last?

On one of the recent practice hikes up Pleasant Mountain, I overheard part of a conversation between three college-aged women who were climbing up as I was descending. The three women were physically disparate. The first was a tall blonde with a scalloped and scooped neckline that showed off her bosom in the style of young women today. The second was dark, petite, wearing a dark brown pork pie hat, and climbing with a 6 foot walking stick. The third woman wore a long unbecoming white T shirt with some orange lettering. She had long light brown hair and was the one talking.

To the leader I said, "Good morning" and stood aside to let them go by.

As they passed, I heard the last woman say, "How long does Love, with a capital L, last?"

And then they were gone. There was only a quarter mile left for me in the descent, and I thought about this question. Who was she talking to? What did they answer? Who was she talking about? What would be my answer to a question like that?

So at the car, there was just one other vehicle, a silver SUV, in the lot. It must belong to them, right? I got a napkin out of my glove compartment, a pen out of the cup holder, and wrote my answer. I folded the napkin, and lifted the windshield wiper of the SUV to secure the note. Then I drove off. Can you imagine what they might have thought on arriving back at their car and discovering the napkin note?

What would your answer be?

June 16

Raktabija was one of the Hindu demons who rose up to battle the gods. His name means Blood Seed. A thousand demons sprung up from the spilling to earth of one drop of his blood. Imagine the battlefield, the horror! You'd better not lop off his head or chop off any limb because you'd have a million more demons to contend with.

Kaali was summoned and drank all the blood of the Raktabijas while they were killed at battle, before any blood reached the ground. She saved the day, the fierce and bloodthirsty Goddess of Destruction and Darkness.

This morning a sneering picture of Raktabija was hanging on the walls of all my cells. Not good. For Raktabija, that is. Steak for breakfast, blood pudding for lunch and blood sausage for supper. And not a drop was spilled. But was that steak, or cake? Blood pudding or chocolate pudding? Blood sausage or Polish sausage?

June 15

Studying engines again.

It doesn't get any easier. The brain runs from image to image, flitting, unable to concentrate. This picture looks familiar. Something I've seen before.

The last cycle of a 4-stroke engine.
Exhaust!ion.
What was it this reminded me of?

Underside of a Dust mite

See how this looks just like the 4-stroke engine? Just put these images side by side. One could become exhausted trying to keep up with the brain and its dusting.

Best go eat more cake.

Flag Day

This wasn't exactly the picture I had in mind for Flag Day. But it's not bad. I have a little flag pin bought from Avon years ago, that I used to wear every June 14th. Things disappear, people disappear, and suddenly St. Anthony, patron saint of misplaced items, brings them back.

Happy Flag Day!

June 12

This has a lot to do with that cake I've been dreaming about.

"Here, honey, would you like this cake?"

"Yes, maybe later."

"Yeah, good luck with' later'."

No wonder we never have company.

The only food we have to offer is pear jam and dates.

June 11

Ganesha - Remover of Obstacles

More Cake

Obstacle to carrying less weight.

Is the obstacle:

1)The cake itself?

2) Getting over or beyond the cake?

3) The idea of cake?

or 4) Me looking at the cake?

Become the cake. The cake and I are one.

June 10

Drop some muscle to carry less weight.

That's rock climbing advice for those who require strength to lift themselves, but also need less weight to lift. Instead of crash dieting, the suggestion goes, lose muscle. In other words, stop training so hard. Trade a few muscle fibers for a few pounds. It's better to be thinner than to be muscular. All this is if you're a rock climber, or disciplined enough to eat less, or less often. Fine.

Sometimes we do what it takes. Sometimes we eat cake.

June 9

This reminds me of that drink that used to be sold in Ashland;

A BigOCanaWhoopass

Caffeinated

Outshone the sun

Produced rainbows on its own

Didn't care what you thought

June 8

Today the wind blew the pines, and a sheet of yellow covered the roads, the puddles, the shores, the cars, just like yellow paint, or mustard dust.

Sneezing got worse, sniffles increased, eyes itched, and still the yellow dust blew.

A few years back, when I had a microscope, I gathered the yellow stuff in a jar of water and put a drop on a glass slide to look at under a 100x ocular lens.

This is what it looks like. Eegads! This is what's in my nose and eyes?? Pine pollen!

At least they don't have spikes.

June 7

At Borders waiting for the doors to open. Of course, the hours online are given as 8:00 AM.
But the doors say 9 AM
A new journal awaits inside, then on to Cabela's for antibug stuff for clothes, and maybe new pants and a shirt for hiking. Can't very well have the same outfit as the previous year.
The parking in this lot is choice.
Maybe have to go next door to Macy's for the prom dress sale.

June 6

Red Sky in the morning,
Sailor take warning.

One hour ago a red sky,
Now sprinkling,
Listening to "96 degrees in the shade",
Planning the day.

June 5

Dedication: 1) Training for a hike.

2) Studying continuing medical education.

3) Memorizing Yoga Sutras.

4) Writing a novel.

Questionable: Posting in a thunderstorm.

June 4

Searching for the Red Feather is a book of poetry, now a limited liability company in aviation.

This should have been a Cardinal, but the pretty 170 will have to do. Wasn't this a grass strip outside of Rumford? Was it the Two Fools fly in? Or Bowman Field?

The point is everything should have a touch of red in it, to represent the fire element.

June 3

"It was the third of June, another sleepy dusty Delta day..."

Except it's cold, with fog and drizzle.

I have ventured out in the world to buy powdered sugar and salted pork. A good package to wrap, and send to someone via Postal Service. Someone who loves Oreo Cookies and Spam too. My people.

We are going out to the M&M Cafe for the bacon lover's special plus a side of bacon. In surgery there was an M&M Conference; morbidity and mortality. Just so.

The main character in the novel is an angry raw foodist. She's hungry. "Pity the fool who stands between me and my food."

Rabbit Rabbit

Welcome, June!

The bricks pave the road to grandeur.

A big cathedral, living large, orchestral anthems, sages and saints.

Sure, why not?