8/16

My friend has her birthday, we often shared the celebration
with good food and good words. Today I remember her
Today I rest.

8/15

Again, packed, dogs in the back
Car checked and fueled
I’m off, again

8/14

Continued arranging for the show, it is good to be ready.
Can change paintings as wanted. A good evening eating
out with friends.

8/13

Cleaned and straightened and mowed, prefer to come home 
to a neat house. Better, sorted and framed for my upcoming show
I’m doing good.

8/12

Spent the morning feeling penned, hemmed into a corner,
Restlessly moving, prowling this house that still feels larger
Than I like

Spent the afternoon wrapped in my own uneasy lone-ness
Finally paint and work a panel into night to a good place and
A good result

8/10

Laid to rest this day a woman beautiful
And well-loved in her day, however long that
Day is past...

Gone beyond the joys of a life expected
Into one that so bewilders, sometimes beyond
Scope of reason.

I paint on, just another with her own future fears
Of life lived without my love, who was my family,
Of life lonelier.

8/9

On your bench I sit watching the go-go's frolicking
through the tall grasses as the skies darken, promise
Of rain arriving.

A friend calls to thank me for being there for his wife.
Asks “where you now”. “Sitting in my yard.”  “That’s a good
Place to be”.

8/8

Returning is a sack filled of mixed feelings
One part glad to be here, another part forever sad
From the missing.

Someone wrote: my dear died, not I. True,
I know but that  is not learned deep through in
A few days.

So returning here no longer feels like home,
As we had home. Yet, slowly, perhaps it changes to
Something I accept.

8/7

I meet this day learning more about my craft,
having the company of friends and knowing another's 
mother has died

I see this day and all days with the soft knowledge of you
Ever in my soul, thoughts, deeds, done with you, wrapped
warmly in mind

Greet this day, softly gleaming as the latest pearl on a string
Of good days with which to to adorn my soul, as this day, I am
another year older

8/6

To learn that others paint in a way I would like,
That I can open a book and  go to a museum, really
see their work.

What a delight, to hear and see another use these
Techniques, to go back to my palette
And try myself.

8/5

A friend, seeing my tense shoulders,
Knead them and once again I realize how little
Now I'm touched

8/4

The day spent painting and listening, looking
At my work, at others', learning more what I can do
with brush, paint

The evening spent with a new friend, widowed
Longer, and I listen and over good food, learn life
can be embraced

8/3

On summer evening I come out to watch
The acrobatics of dragonflies, colored brightly
Blues, reds, ebony

8/2

In a darkened theatre watched a marvel of ballet,
Of acting, singing swirling together, creating a
Small space wonder.

A magical morning spent with this
Production of the lion, the witch 
and the wardrobe,

Four of us watched with smiles, with tears,
Willing to allow the amazement
To course through.

8/1

Have left all in as good order as possible

Packed paints and bags, heading to a workshop 

Again to learn