VENUS OF ORK

Esther finally came home from California.

The effectiveness of crosswalk flags for crossing the street is debatable, but they make excellent design elements on a gray porch, and work well as substitute chairs, a little like the carpet squares we sat on in kindergarten.







And then Robert came back from his various travels--Amsterdam, Mexico, California, St. George, who knows where else...we went to the park

With sweet Kailana, Mike's dog.

My apartment is lovely, but gets so much less sun than last year's place. In the first two days I documented the traveling, glass-wavy sunshapes on the floor. There may have been a little desperation in this act. I'm still hoping to get a bit more morning light when the leaves fall from the front yard trees.

I pillaged some hens and chickens plants from somebody's yard.

Esther, Robert and I went to Ikea, which was fun for the first hour or so, in which we fit ourselves into this Mork Chair and played with fingerpuppets, but as usual it got completely overwhelming long before I reached the textiles, which was what I really meant to purchase.

But I'd say Robert definitely has what it takes to make it big as an Ikea model.

"CARIBBEAN OF THE ROCKIES"

My apartment was empty. A bike, a few books, a lot of dust on the floors, walls in need of paint, an empty fridge. But Catie suggested I join her, Rachel, and David for an excursion to Bear Lake, up on the border of Idaho.

Culinary specialties of Utah include street tacos, fry sauce, and milkshakes, and it was raspberry festival weekend in Bear Lake. Not pictured: a fresh raspberry shake that required a spoon and at least two people to eat it.



The sand at the beach was more like dirt. The shoreline buzzed with jet skis and motor boats and we breathed their fumes. And in true western style, the "parking lot" was extremely convenient--you drove right to the spot where you'd shake out your towel. An endless line of pickup trucks and SUVs hemmed us in.

But the sun and the company were lovely.




On the way back I forced these kids to pose for me. Yes, forced them, but I have no regrets.




One of Salt Lake City's finest amenities is the friendship of this wonderful lady.

And while I was gone, the city acquired some new street art. I am particularly smitten with St. Teresa, who has taken up residence just a couple of blocks from my new place.



Another amenity is Catie's backyard, complete with hammock.

From the hammock, Catie and I both phoned our fathers for their birthdays, which turn out to be on the same day--August 11--ages ago already. The hammock days are so quickly waning...

KICK UP YOUR RED HEELS

I came home from some place or other and found Bryce using his window reflection to lose the beard...(Mom and Dad, this is what happens when you leave us kids to dogsit.)


The summer was ending. Mom and Dad returned from their travels. Brig and Bryce packed their car like a Jenga game--seriously, their packing was a feat that deserves admiration.

While sorting through boxes of things in my parents' basement, I found my old sock monkey, the long lost brother monkey of Brigid's George. George has had many more adventures than his brother, and is skinnier, with longer legs and stretched out ears, but the resemblance between them is striking. They were happy to see each other, but soon had to say goodbye.



Then Brig, Bryce, George and Lucille Dog got in their car and drove back to Indiana. (It is hard to believe this was only five weeks ago.)

And Lucy and I packed up a rental car and drove that now familiar stretch of I-80, across southern Wyoming. (nothing like a little windshield photography while driving...) I drove in and out of storms all day.

WE ARE SO TENDERLY CUTANEOUS

Brig and I met Maggie at Valley View Hot Springs for some soaking and camping.


Anni loved it there: so many smells, and deer walking through the woods, and dirt roads for running along. She was in full-on crazed beast mode.

Lu brought her own tent, the Sport Pet, which kept her slightly more calm during the thunderstorm that blew in that night.



Brig made Mags model her sock and sandals look. (Winnie there was more or less Miss Angel Dog of the weekend, except maybe that one moment when she was overcome by excitement and ran to meet a jack russel being walked by its nude owner, who picked it up and clutched it protectively to his chest, much more concerned about his dog than his own vulnerable skin...Personally, I determined that I would never walk a dog in the nude.)