Community Garden

Our garden is coming along. The cold snap last week burned some of our tomatoes, okra, sweet peppers and squash, but they look like most of them will make a comeback.

Here is our full plot.



The strawberries are in their second year and have lots of fruit. Hopefully the voles won't eat too many. We've harvested some lettuce, but mostly we're just weeding and waiting!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

It was a sad day at the Gresham house hold today. Last night as we left the house for dinner we saw a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird on the feeder. She seemed slumped over and pretty sluggish. When we got home the bird was still there. I have seen hummingbirds perched on feeders after a long migration flight so I hoped that she would have gotten some sugar and rest and taken off in the morning, but sadly she was still there this morning. I got closer and could tell she hadn't survived.

Happy Birthday Maggie! Go Cubs!

Maggie and I went to the Cubs' game last night for her birthday. Well, her b-day isn't until Tuesday, but I found great seats for Wednesday. It was an amazing game! The Cubs were down 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth when Geovany Soto tied up the game with a sacrifice fly and then in the bottom of the tenth Alfonso Soriano singled in Mike Fontenot to win the game! We had a great time. Here are a few pictures.

Kosuke Fukudome singles in the 4th


Cubs GM Jim Hendry talking to ESPN announcer Chris (Boomer) Berman
Carlos Zambrano on the mound. D. Lee holding Matt Kemp on first.
Cubs' manager Lou Pinella
The birthday girl and me!

Snyder on the Koan

Just read a short interview with Gary Snyder over at the Poetry Foundation site. Thought this bit was interesting --

How would you say the state of mind of working on a koan resembles that of working on a poem? Or does it?

I’ve had a hard time bringing myself to talk about this question, which is sort of “What is the nature of the koan?”

As I think about it, I realize what a tricky task the koan has. It must challenge the student and draw her into it, but not give away enough to make her think she understands it. Koans are not poetry as a rule, and do not aspire to being poetry, but are some type of simple teaching story that is a little bit like a riddle.

If bright people could read koans and then simply “get it,” they wouldn’t be koans.

The intention of a koan is to make people who are bright in an ordinary way, or ordinary people who are bright in an odd way, work harder and go further into themselves. The language presents an opportunity to perceive a metaphor that calls one not to “thought” but to work. Work is performance. Performance is embodiment, and not subject to ordinary rational analysis—it must spring forth freely and spontaneously, as does life for most working people, who are always dealing with the immediate. That’s one kind of koan. So in a way we’re not talking about “language,” we’re talking about the theater of life.

Will it ever end?

Yesterday it was 84 degrees and humid, today isn't getting above 50 degrees. Add to that a 20 mph wind and I can officially say I am tired of the cold weather! Our squash, peppers and tomatoes may not make it. Next to Lake Michigan it is either freezing because of the wind or oppressively humid. Not much of a choice, as if you could choose!

Just thought I'd vent.

My Birthday Is Coming Up, hint, hint

Memorial Day Warm Up

Chicago warms up this weekend! Finally we get to plant our tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant! But of course we get a high of 54 on Thursday! This winter is hanging on like a bad cold.

Don't start your seeds too early!!

Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, Lincoln Park

Lily Pool
Shooting Star
Columbine

My Niece Abbie!