Taken From My Porch Five Minutes Ago

Great. Blue. Heron.

The wingspan on this guy has got to be six feet, easy. Stuff like this is what makes it easy for me to stay in my "fuck politics" mindset.


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Friday Random Ten

Here's the morning soundtrack. Lazy lazy day planned. Just got a new book in The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdich. Pretty much going to consume the day until opening night of my sister's high school production of "Arsenic and Old Lace."

Hitting random and taking the top ten gave me this:

Sugar Mountain - - - Neil Young
Stay a Little Longer - - - Merle Haggard
I'll Remember You Love, In My Prayers - - - Allison Krause
If He's Ever Near - - - Karla Bonoff
String Quartet #4 - - - Beethoven
Stag O'Lee - - - Mississippi John Hurt
Sugar, Sugar - - - The Archies
Willie The Pimp - - - Zappa
Blackbird - - - Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Merril, Lynch, Fenner & Pierce
Master of Disaster - - - John Hiatt


Bonus (what's playing right now)

Son of a Preacher Man - - - Linda Ronstadt (live bootleg me on guitar)

April's Fool

With my being taken down a peg or two while recovering from my dental surgery I have truly begun to admire and appreciate the patience and love that I have been getting from April.

She's been here every spare minute. Often just being here to be around in case I might need something. She's a stalwart lass. Constant mouth pain does not bring out the best in me. Or anyone that I know. She's just here being her kind and considerate self.

When my aunt and uncle threw their big anniversary party, April, at first was declining to attend. She didn't want her presence to distract or in any way cast a shadow on the festivities. She's always pretty spooked that the whispers and sniggering will start about her work.

I told her that this was nonsense. My family likes me better when she's around. My mother adores her and she's a hero to my kids. My mother called her to see if she could talk her into coming, then my cousins, then my uncle. It was my aunt's call that tipped the balance. When the wife gave her a personal invitation she figured it was going to be alright.

Her kindess and thoughtfulness is something I truly appreciate. It took a lot for me to finally talk her into coming on the road with me for a short mini-tour last summer. She consented and became close friends with the singer/songwriter lady I was working for, and the singer's daughter and grandchildren.

Along with her sweet nature is the fact that she's absolutely gorgeous. It's not one of these things that requires a lot of work on her part. Nature's gifts alone make her stunning. I have seen her in cut-offs and flip flops, no make up or any kind of primping literally stop traffic on Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs while she's trying to duck into a Starbucks for a coffee and newspaper. Beyond looks, it's an attitude thing. She exudes sensuality.

Since tonight is the last night of Poetry Month I will conclude with a poem I wrote for her.

listen, last night, i dreamed
i dreamed you left me by sea

aboard a ship of silver you sailed away from me
i sailed also
turning my hands i made sails and put out to sea after you

oceans i traveled while calling your name
scanning endless horizons looking for a hint or a sign
of you to lead me to the only place i wanted to be

there was a storm on my dreamsea with waves
and slashing winds and rain
i saw your ship in the distance and fought
the tides and the winds to reach you
i reached out my hand
took yours into mine
together we sailed home

then, i awakened and reached out for you
touched your skin and breathed your scent
i slept content

lady, i dreamed again
i dreamed that you left me by air
you were aboard a golden winged plane
and you flew away from me
i flew also turning my hands to the task
i made wings and took to the air to search for you
mountains, rivers, deserts and plains were beneath me
as i flew past all points of the compass
searching and calling your name

over snow and water and forests i flew
until at last i saw you standing on a distant meadow
high and far away
i reached out to take your hand in mine
and together we flew homeward
i awakened again and reached for you

you weren't there my love
and i started in panic
up and out of the bed
down the hall
room by room
looking for you all over the house

i found you in the kitchen
making tea and reading a book
i ran to take you into my arms
murmuring over and over
"thank god you're here. thank god you're here."
you were startled and uneasy
i was, after all, acting like a maniac

i tried to explain but all that came out was lame

i guess love gives you good dreams.

BBB

VoteVets Strikes Again

The organization VoteVets has a campaign going on right now to try and stop the McCain version of the GI Bill while promoting the bipartisan bill being pushed by Jim Webb (D-VA) and Chuck Hagel (Depraved Cocksuckers, NE).

President Bush has vowed to veto the bill anyway. He says that the lure of a full college education would create "retention problems" greater than the retention problems already created by fighting two senseless wars half a world away.

The email sent by VoteVets contains a link to a tool that allows you to write to the editor of your local paper.

Follow This Link to Write to Your Local Paper.

It's the least we can do for these kids. Anytime you ask them about why they chose the military, the first or second reason given is "money for college." Let's deliver on that promise.

It's truly, the very least we can do.

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