Smile For Me

The police car came charging down the drive slammed on his brakes in front of my home and then….. Nothing. He just sat there. He is gone now, must have been just a 15 minute stake out.

In honor of Bastille Day I had pasta made in Alsace, marinated artichokes from France, chocolate almond swirl cheesecake (I made it myself in a spring form pan no less!) and a Pinot Blanc. All of this while researching my Cheuvront ghosts and planning a weeks’ worth of Bastille paintings for the Artz Council.

The chimes on my porch that normally hang in stoic silence started clanging like joyous church bells.  I opened the front door believing that some impish brownie or fairy folk had discovered the clapper and was ringing his people to my porch. Then I noticed the sky had gone grey and my pot of Impatience was no longer on the porch but was lying pot-less at the curb and the pot was nowhere in sight. The wind had worried itself into a gale. I was hopeful for a lovely shower on a hot and dreary summer afternoon but the rain never came. Just as it did not come last week as the thunder rolled.

I bought a bouquet of orange gladiolas last week that have just a few un-bloomed buds at the top. They are starting to look tired and a few are bending over. The lime green chrysanthemums I bought before that are looking a wee tired as well. I suppose I shall go on a flower adventure today and see what other lovely bouquet I can conjure up to decorate my home. I miss that the most. The flowers that can be had so cheaply at the farmers market in Saratoga.

I would come home with fresh vegetables, fruit and bread. Roasted chicken and arms full of flowers. There was a vase full in every room. They know how to have a market in Saratoga. There were many vendors of vegetables, fruits, flowers, bread, honey, soap, exotic medical herbs and potions, kettlecorn, the roasting chicken truck offering a variety of flavors all turning on rotisseries. There was always live music and it felt like a country fair; an event, not a morning of shopping. I miss it. I miss fresh food and fresh flowers.

I hate to tell you this nephew but I am running out of colored ink and these letters may very well start showing up in black ink.

As I was driving to the park for my morning hike an amusing event occurred. I take 114 through town which has a speed limit of 40 and then it drops to 30. Traffic was moving at a nice little clip and I was leading the pack, not by choice but by design.  They had to stop at the intersection while I had a green light which was green before I got to it so it was not I who tripped it. As the traffic caught up to me, which means they were speeding already the speed changed to 30. I slowed down. I have lived here long enough to know they mean it.

I could tell the car behind me was NOT happy so as soon as he could he moved and started to pass me. At that moment for some reason I looked over at him. He had rolled his window down was scowling a most angry look in my direction. As he turned his head further and opened his mouth I smiled my biggest smile and said Hi! He looked taken aback but managed to recover enough to maintain his scowl but nodded at me. I have no idea what he was about to yell or do but he drove on as I continued to smile and sing along with the music in my car. I am not sure I will call it a win but I will say Mischief Managed!

I will leave you with 3 words…..

Joaquin Cortes……sigh…….