It’s “Hey Rene J” Today!

Yes, the hint of autumn was in the air. Breckenridge was gorgeous and the cool tingling of fall was beginning.

My photos look much better than this header. I can never get the whole thing on the top of the blog, however, the rest of it is below. It was time to change the Indian Paintbrush scene, which is now faded and tired, and begin the seasonal transition.

Time marches.

My granddaughter found the pencil sharpener we installed 25 years ago in our pantry. It is conveniently at her height. I have not let her see me use it, though I did have the opportunity to sharpen three old school lead writers which I haven’t done for years. We just don’t use pencils, but she did and then ran dry.

Ah! Remember elementary school and delaying your return to the desk at the pencil sharpener? Meeting a friend there to discuss recess activities? Sharpening until you had a little nub and then had to get a new pencil? Good old days.

I hope kids still get to do that. They should based on the 24 lead pencils every back-to-school list requires. None of that mechanical lead stuff! You miss the entire olfactory bliss.

School starts next week!

You know I get these “word of the day” missives. Sometimes I even click on them. That’s when the adventure begins!

I just spent an hour reading and dinking around with words and stories. Pre-coffee! Times flies when you’re a logophile having fun! Here are a few fun facts for a busy Wednesday.

And wasn’t last night a pluviophile and ceraunophile’s dream?

This cracked me up! My dad didn’t swear, but a mild, “Judas Priest,” could escape his lips if you erred on either the Phillips head or flat-head screwdriver. We loved to help him with his projects though and took the gentle rebuffs as “learning opportunities.”

I’m feeling the need to craft – with power tools. Thanks, Dad.

Look who was prowling about the ‘hood! These velvet-antlered guys were strolling aimlessly providing some entertainment for the afternoon. I was in my car and I stopped to enjoy their antics. When I made it home I sat down to another surprising view from my kitchen table. Two little hummingbirds flitting about my hanging plants and then sitting on the string of lights five feet from me!

It was a lovely nature-filled day, now complete with thunder in the distance.

What a delightful surprise in the mail! My friend and fellow Language Arts major from college, “Paroline,” sent me an old letter I had written to her at Christmas 30 years ago! My handwriting was rather lovely, I might add. Along with it – two old Christmas photos from my more clever years of photography.

Obviously she is cleaning out and reminiscing. How thoughtful to share those memories with me! It has spurred me to continue my letter writing campaign. Hopefully my nephew will enjoy the missive I just sent him upon his “retirement” from his summer internship.

Thanks for the gentle nudge, Friend! I will employ either green, purple, teal, pink or red ink. And since it’s back-to-school time, I am off to buy more of it!

Oh, you may think you are in charge of things – until you have a two-year old ruling the roost! She is truly the most puissant.

The day revolves around food, entertainment, food, napping, food, fresh air, food, and of course, varied activities. The varied activities are mostly for me though. Chalk pictures on the concrete are a favorite of mine. I also enjoy constructing the railway tracks for Thomas the train. Of course, playing the piano to “Wheels on the Bus” and all of its verses is mere duty.

Yes, it was a fun-filled day again and I was happy to play second fiddle to the girl in command. Love my Wednesdays!

Finally – a moment in the day to tell you the exciting news. I’m on a diet!

It’s not your typical nutritional fare, it has a musical bent. It’s a “Change the station when the Eagles or Fleetwood Mac are on” diet. I am weary of hearing both bands.

This is nothing new. I’ve been on a Bob Dylan diet since, well, since I first heard him. I’ve banned the Eagles and FM from my station for a couple of years now. I will also change at a moment’s notice for Cat Stevens, Jim Croce (ugh) and Miley Cyrus (double ugh). Can’t we do better than that? If we’re going back in time let’s throw Barbra in there. She had good pipes.

Perhaps tomorrow I will attempt a nutritional diet? My sister is already working on that so I may join her. That requires getting rid of the peppermint ice cream in the freezer though. Better get started!

I hate them. They are unpredictable little buggers, flying and hopping at will. This year? I swear the rains fed them. As I mowed I saw one on the back of the garage that was nearly five inches in length and quite meaty. I’m praying some bird finds him and feeds the family.

Should I have been a prairie woman crossing the plains during a grasshopper or locust invasion (equally disliked as I had one caught in my hair as a kid!) I would have definitely gone mad. However, it’s funny how a child you love will make you readjust those supremely angst-ridden moments.

My granddaughter spent the weekend with us and I squished numerous bugs and batted away insects with nary a thought to my own squeamishness in hearing or feeling that crackle of their bodies when I demolished them in my Kleenex covered hands. “They won’t hurt you, they’re too little,” might have been one of my stupid comments. I merely recalled my grandmother and the famous June bug incident of ‘65. She picked up a gigantic red crawling offender from the basement floor and crushed it with her bare hands.

What year was it really? I don’t know, but I will never forget her bravery when I was a little child. Still inspiring me today, Grandma! Your legacy lives on in bug mitigation. Who knows? Maybe you hated them, too?

I never know where my hippocrene will come from, but I have to seize inspiration when it strikes.

Some of these words have to be rather archaic. I don’t believe I have ever come across “hippocrene” in any novels or articles I’ve read. However I did have a moment of inspiration yesterday while driving.

This guy in front of me made an illegal left turn right in the middle of a major road. It was absolutely brilliant! Had he done it properly, he would have had to go to the intersection, await the turn signal which is interminably slow there, and then proceed to make two more left turns to arrive at his restaurant. One and done with no harm or cameras to catch him!

I’ll probably never get to use the maneuver as I have only frequented that area once before. Maybe one day when I’m looking for a new hippocrene I’ll try it?