Month: April 2017

Sunday, April 30, 2017

The heavy rains during the past two days makes for a wet walk this morning. The heaviness in the skies will soon drop more rain.

The season loves rainy weather; what lovely flowers along the way.

dogwood

iris

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clematis

This morning my mind, nonetheless, is elsewhere, continuing to think about enmity — what it is, where it comes from, how it expresses itself. What I did today on the six-miler was work on a drama that I will share in its present form.

“Enmity”
A drama in two acts

cast:
Mother Nature
Cain
Abel
narrator

Act I (afternoon at Mother Nature’s place)

Mother Nature:
–“Delicious! You’ve done well.”
Abel:
–“Thanks to you.”
Cain:
–“Playing favorites again.”
Mother Nature:
–“Sour grapes, eh? Was it blight or aphids or weeds? Brush up on horticulture and you’ll be OK. You have to make a decision. Prolonged pouting will eat you up.”

Act II (the next day)

narrator: Consumed by anger, Cain sneaks into the hills. Hidden by a craig, Cain sees the sheep and his brother who is playing his lute.

Cain:
–“Heh, he’s got his heat. And I’ve got mine.” (Action: Cain raises his gun, takes aim, and blows to pieces the shepherd on the first shot.)

(End)

Saturday, April 29, 2017

An all-night thunderstorm and rain! The rain, extending beyond noon, diminished the size of crowd for the IMA plant sale and closed the beer garden. But in the greenhouse, we celebrated the season, the weather and of course the plants.

And the visitors. By my count, nearly 200. A couple from Cleveland, another from Denver, a woman from New Hampshire. A father and two wide-awake daughters were there. I took a picture of them to send to their mother who is spending the weekend in New York City.  We welcomed Asians, Hispanics, a few African Americans, a nurse, a firefighter, a student graduating from IUPUI, a tech and many other cordial people.

IMA no longer sells plants in the greenhouse. It is now used for specimen plants, gathered from here and there, “from all over the world” says Ian. Here are some that caught my eye today.

Anthurium

from the fern family

Hoya carnosa
(Hindu Rope Plant)

from the violet family

an orchid

begonia

Gasteria verrucosa
(Warty Aloe)

one of many beautiful bromeliads

long fronds with saw toothed edges; I don’t yet know the name

What an opportunity to enjoy people and plants.

Friday, April 28, 2017

acrimony ……… benevolence

antagonism ………. harmony

animus ………. good will

animosity ………. rapport

antipathy ………. regard

aversion ………. respect

bad feeling ………. understanding

bad blood ……….friendship

bitterness ………. geniality

discord ………. accord

enmity ………. amity

friction ………. agreement

hatred ………. love

hostility ………. peacefulness

ill feeling ………. harmony

ill will ………. liking

loathing ………. admiration

odium ………. affection

rancor ………. kindness

resentment ………. pleasure

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Yesterday afternoon on Michigan Ave, the bus PA announced “stop requested.” An elderly white man with darkened glasses and a walking stick for the blind slowly got up. As he was about to leave the bus, he asked the driver for directions. I didn’t hear the exact words, but the driver seemed not to know what to tell him. She got up out of her seat and left the bus to talk with him. Then she brought him back onto the bus.

“So at City Center, you take bus 55 for English Avenue.  55.”  The man nodded. He then pulled out a cell phone and dialed, I don’t know how, since he was blind.  After a conversation, he said to the driver. “My son will come for me. I will get out at the Arsenal.”

She stopped the bus at Arsenal. The man emerged, again confused. The driver, once again, left the bus, talked with him, then led him to a bench, a comfortable place to wait for his son. She returned to the bus.

This African American driver’s name is Gina Bray.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Today I tried to amble — that is, to walk at a pace noticeable slower than my optimal speed. Why?  Just to find anything new about walking. I made two circuits on trail “blue” at Eaglecreek Park, half of which is in the woods, half by the reservoir.

The woods

Much as changed in the past week of spring growth.

This sprightly dance is much too fast for the log rhythm.

One of my preferred dead trees.

Dogwood blooms around the edges.

Even the older growth looks good in spring.

Lilly Pond

The huge reservoir is filled by the small Eagle Creek.

Using my stereotypes, he looked Vietnamese.

Surely this is a club team, with the coach in the boat.

That bench can hold the two of us.

After two circuits, six miles, I was ready for water and an apple, but I could have gone for another round — I think. Ambling is enjoyable.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Here are several of the biggies that crawl around in my head

1. Where does human enmity come from?
2. For all the good that religion can possibly accomplish, why does it so often foster discord and hostility?
3. Are gratitude and thanksgiving teachable?
4. What is the measure of distance that separates my consciousness from that of Ringo, the Rhodesian ridgeback?

I’ll carry the crawlers with me today on my walk.

Sunday, April 22, 2017

The camera always goes with me when I’m walking. One never knows what it will see.

Color coordinated.

 Just as I shot the picture, a cop stopped behind me. “You put the balloon there?” No, I told him, but I got a picture of it. “I like it,” he said with a chuckle and drove off.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Not a job, really. Just a volunteer opportunity … at Indianapolis Museum of Art. I arrived early enough today to take a stroll through the gardens.

Some tulips are finished blooming, others are at their peak, some just emerging.

Lilacs are looking good.

Many flowers I have not yet learned by name.

Often I prefer the close-up.

As usual I walked to 100 acres, the place where I used to work, pulling weeds.

Who was doing what by the pond?

Back to main campus via the ravine, I come upon azaleas.

Iris.

And my favorites, the ferns.

A brief stop at Lilly House,

and I’m at the greenhouse.
Here is where I welcome visitors.

Apparently orchids bloomed early this year, including the Stanhopia orchid from Ecuador that blooms for only two days a year. Below is  an enduring bloomer.

My job is to say hello and welcome.
But interaction goes well beyond.
What plant is this, I am often asked.
And often I turn to Marian or Sue or Ian.
This is a maidenhair fern.

Flowers have their formal Latin names,
but I like the wild array of common names,
such as pussy ears.

and mother-in-law’s tongue.

Here is something from the fern family,
probably not the staghorn.

This is appropriately named String of Pearls.

Today a red geranium tried to hide.

And nearby a leaf shed a tear.

I enjoy the plants, I enjoy the people, even those
who put their heads into the greenhouse to ask,
“Are there bathrooms here?”

Friday, May 21, 2017

At coffee today with Dave K, we again chatted about the power of gratitude — which served as a stimulant for my being more cognizant of what deserves my conscious thanks. This evening I reviewed the day, attempting to recall specific moments when I even casually sensed something good.

• Last evening’s sunset that I placed into “Today’s Photo” on Facebook.
• Matthew Tully’s column on Broad Ripple. I appreciate his attention to communities in Indy.
• Upon ordering a “tall robust no room” at Starbucks, hearing from back of me “Hi Dad.”
• Efficient service in getting a bus card at INDYGO.
• Downtown Indy that is remarkably free of litter.
• A pleasant phone voice from Wendy’s in Crawfordsville, about something I left in the restaurant yesterday.
• The appliance dolly (which we called at home on the farm a bag wagon) to help move the heavy urns from the garage to their pedestals.
•  A different bird at the feeder — a cowbird?
• Today’s 45-minute nap.
• Tools: the electric drill and special screw driver to affix the plate for the screen door pump.
• Yesterday’s grungies now clean and ready for another outdoor’s job.
• Kiss from Freda, the neighbor’s dog
• Privilege of planning how to assign our charitable donations for the year.
• “my classical.org” which is a San Francisco fine arts station.
• A quiet Friday evening here with my spouse.

A good day, indeed.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

We are today at Winter Wood, the rural five acres that is home of Lali’s family and The Juniper Spoon. What makes this day special is the forecast for storms. A cool front from the West will bring an end to above average temps.

Why do forecasts for storms energize me? What does the possibility of big weather evoke in my imaginations?

If I/we had experienced a storm disaster — a flooded house, a destroyed woodlot, a crushed car, devastated infrastructure, hail or fire, then perhaps my emotional response to radio alert might be far different from my heightened anticipation storm.

This morning’s clear warm spring weather was just right for weeding, trimming around beds, dampening the compost silos and weed walking with the electric tool. Midafternoon, quite on schedule, Thor called together his council up above the thickening clouds.  Thor did a good job all afternoon and evening, but here I shall show you the clouds. Remember, the day began clear.

Morning clouds

The skies darken.

The house is domed darkly.

In town on an errand, I see the storm to the north.

High above me.

At the southern edge of the storm.

At nightfall, the clouds are heavily exhausted.

More storms tomorrow, they say.