#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Painted Turtle on the Tracks

An early walk with my friend who leaves today. We go over the tracks to one of our favorite trails across the river. On the way back we find a painted turtle in the middle of the railroad tracks that cross the wetlands whre all the lily pads are in bloom. I gently pick him up and slide down the bank to set him on his way into the water again. I get most of the day with my daughter and my friend; we have breakfast together before she leaves at Nirvana in Millis, our friend’s lovely teahouse––all three of us get the avocado toast and it’s heavenly. Today, in the early afternoon, I take the kind of Farm Pond swim I wait all year to take. No rush, perfect temperature of the water with the sun on my back, the water fresh from so much rain, and I have all the energy I need to enjoy a good long swim around the island. Bliss. Just before dinner I get to have my grandson all to myself. In the garden, he gets me soaked with the hose while I’m deadheading the daisies. I pick tomatoes and cucumber, not the fine progress of my pumpkins, get the latest squash and a few green beans, enough for my dinner. A whole evening with Wave. He has some of the fresh tomatoes and says, “The garden is juicy.” Indeed. And then we have a popcorn and movie party. He helps me make the popcorn from scratch on the stove. Then, “This popcorn is delicious,” he says. He says it three times so I know he really means it.