#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Wild Azalea in the Wetlands

My mother was born on this day, 1927. For her birthday, she liked lobster and strawberry shortcake. My brother was the one of us who texted first. Happy birthday mom, to me and my siblings. It was a beautiful summery morning for a walk. I found the wild azalea blooming by the edge of the path near the wetlands. I love the wild azalea! Charlie swam after sticks from the boat landing in Rocky Narrows. I ran my writing workshop, in person and online. I wrote a workshop proposal that was overdue. I inched along in my 2,000 word essay for the journal publishing four of my poems. My brother texted a question: did I want to swim after visiting the cemetery in the center of town to wish my mother a happy birthday? Well, I felt a bit squeezed in time. But I said yes. I wanted to see my brother and my mother. I picked some lovely blooms from one of the laurel bushes I’m growing and put the pink lovelies in a jam jar of water. Laurel, the perfect offering for my mother; she would appreciate the laurel, namesake of her favorite lake in all the world. We sat by her bench and felt her presence, and my father’s, and felt she knew we were there. And soon, Frank came home. And we went to the garden after dinner and the wind was blowing over us. I watered our few vegetable plants and he pulled a few weeds. We’re doing our best with the garden this year. We’re doing enough.

Charlie in the Charles

Boat Landing, Charles River