Summer is almost over. I can remember a time when I would walk everywhere and not spend so much time in my car as I do now. By walking, I would hear things. Children playing, dogs, people in there back yards, water sprinklers, lawnmowers, and before there were so many air conditioners, and people left their windows open, the sound of televisions; a ball game through this window, a soap opera through that, or The Jack Benny program. And the books of summer; to me they are, “Tom Sawyer”, “Penrod”—with sleeping dogs getting up and finding a shady spot when the sun would move—and “Dandelion Wine”, with all the summer that’s in it. That’s the one that stands out above the others to remind me to take that walk and not the drive. And I thank Ray for that. All the summers he’s given back to me and the new ones I’ve learned to see. Ray Bradbury, all summer in a man.

October is bearing down on us fast with all its wonder but there’s still time to take that walk. And if you’re lucky, there’ll be a neighbor on a porch you can tip your hat to, if you have a hat and it’s not on backwards.

And if the neighbor has a porch, heh-heh.

Some interesting thoughts regarding porches were posted earlier - worth searching for and reading...

Thanks for pointing out the porch, dandelion and I’ll take your advice, Bralling II and look up the other postings, but off the cuff; the director who films potentially the best movie of the first half of this century, “Dandelion Wine”, will have to be a porch person. Other than the knife and fork, it is probably civilizations greatest invention. A view from a house. A place for old people, lonely people, swings, children and pedestrians and families. A shelter for dogs who need shade. If I were king of the forest, I’d make it a law you couldn’t build a house without one. And it’s the best place to view and hear and smell the rain.

Yep, October is here and Ray's favorite holiday is almost upon us. I always watch the animated version of Halloween Tree this time of year. The backgrounds are really well done, I especially love the kite and the tree with all the jack o' lanterns on it.

I recently read Dandelion Wine for the first time. His best work imho. It wisked me away to happier times. The reality of my life was bearing down a bit much at the time, too, so I guess that lended itself to romanticizing the book even more. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful book and it will be one of the few good memories for this summer.

Halloween nears, though. Rejoice! I will be posting pics of my own Halloween Trees (I have two this year) online sometime after the holiday.

It has suddenly turned wonderfully spring-like in The New England, so I think I’ll turn off all the widgets and the wadgets and go for a walk.

So too in NNY! But be wary, "for the skies of "January" can turn gloomy!" (tune of Ed. Fitzg.)

Alway possible in a 24 hr. span: 3 feet of snow, 3 inches of ice, 3 weeks of no power!

Ch. 31: We had a quick baseball game under the street lights last evening. Homeplate - the storm drain cover, first base - a much melted snow bank across the street, second base - an adjacent light pole, third base - a patch of still unmelted ice. Final score 28-20. The stadium is located on a quiet side-street in a corner of the village neighborhood, few rules (don't throw the bat, no budging during at bats, and everybody must be on the front lawn when "CAR, CAR, C-A-R!" is yelled. (Age range of kids on the street playing in our winter league, 6-10yrs.) Slipping and sliding and diving into the snow - pretty sore today.

So! A nice spring-like NE walk sounds far more sane!
Present temp., an amazing 39F! Enjoy.

Chap,fjp,
A weather report is another good reason to have the "location" appear at the bottom of posts.
I still haven't figured out how to do it.
FYI, in the Santa Cruz mountains Winter invariably means heavy rains, mud slides, trees (usually Doug Firs) falling, power outages, and, when it's not raining - frost and ice. Usually doesn't get much below 25 degrees F, however...

Braling II,
I put in my location when I set up my profile. Won’t the system allow us to go in and update that?

fjp451,
What a wonderful way to take advantage of a temperate January day. And what a pleasure it must have been to spend time with those kids. That’s a field of joy you describe.

Hey Ch. 31, I recently had to edit mine and I was making it way more complex than it should have been. I finally figured it out. On the main forum page click your name where it tells your on, then click the view or edit entire profile, scroll down to location and change or add it accordingly, but don't forget to hit submit at the bottom. I did not hit it about three times until finally sighting the button. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Braling II:
Chap,fjp,
A weather report is another good reason to have the "location" appear at the bottom of posts.
I still haven't figured out how to do it.
FYI, in the Santa Cruz mountains Winter invariably means heavy rains, mud slides, trees (usually Doug Firs) falling, power outages, and, when it's not raining - frost and ice. Usually doesn't get much below 25 degrees F, however...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rocket,

Back to another summer and the words of Ray Bradbury and others.

Mary Oliver in her poem "The Summer Day" asks us simply and purely: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Summer. Magical summer. Don't ever waste it.

http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=3734&IssueNum=153

This message has been edited. Last edited by: The Lake,

That was a good article, and a nice caricature of Ray. Thanks Lake.

Thanks. I like the caricature, too. RB is one amazing man. Mary Oliver's line is a wake-up call to everyone on this planet.

It's Spring, in Utah now, all I've been doing is walking around showing little kids how to blow the Dandelions poof over their nieghboors lawns?
A little subversive of me, but I do love Dandelions..... Dandelion Whines......

uncle