The bunnies have not eaten my red flower. Hooray! I visited it in bloom today in the front garden. Ed, who is our contractor, excitedly texted me today to let me know that he saw a monarch at our front door. This was a challenging day with our Suzi Q who is not well. So, the visit of a monarch was especially good news. And, on my walk with Charlie, a long one, even in the humid air, I saw a young snapper laying her eggs by the railroad track. And as I entered the meadow from the woods in Rocky Narrows, a red tailed hawk with two fledglings took off over my head. And, stopping at the frog pond just before dinner with the Special One, I was startled to look down and see a huge bull frog on the rock in the center of the little pond––just suddenly arriving and making a home with the tiny frogs who pop their little heads up through the thick algae. So, it was a lively day and a sorrowful day. And a busy day of preparing for the conference tomorrow, gathering my materials, making copies, finding the printer I always bring along with me. And a very sweet thing happened. A poet whose craft I very much admire e-mailed me out of the blue just to say she had just read my poem that was published in Lily Poetry Review's Issue 7, Winter 2022, “Before the Shortest Day, Wild Blueberries,” and praised it highly. Well, that was very thoughtful of her. I did not swim today but went to the pond to retrieve my goggles and cap and buoy that I left in the sand there yesterday. Perhaps I will get a swim in before leaving tomorrow. Sweet Suzi has been with us for 13 Julys.