a compendium of this and that.

********

herein lies the realization of how much time can pass 

within three-almost-four-months. 

the forest was so very verdant, and the dirt was so new, 

back in june 

when we lay'd to rest my sweet friend angelo buttertoast jones. 

and now? 

the leaves are golden and swirling and falling into the branches

of the close-by evergreens that spread out their ever-growing arms,  

catching wind and birdsong as i linger in the lush woodland. 
summer rains and autumn wind have faded the tiny paper peace flags. 

i visit this spot almost daily, not out of necessity to grieve per se, 

and especially not out of a need to be morose about angelo's death, 

but because he is sleeping in the forest, up on coyote hill, where i plant foot

summer and winter. 

i feel his very-deeply-palpable absence from my life. 

he's still here. 

i feel him, i see him, i hear him, daily. 

daily. 

and yes, there's a sweet young boycat who rips the bed linens with his 

raucous manner of play, 

runningjumpingclawclinging

to everything with which he comes in contact. 

i love him. 

i do. 

and while i am still saddened, little milo fills the hole in my heart

with his constant kitty presence. 

just today, repairs were made to one bedsheet, brightly-colour'd cotton and ribbon

stitched to the holes, 

happy lovely patterns celebrating new [and wild] life in the house….

****

….and the day passed all-too-quickly, when along about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,

i realized i had not really eaten anything substantial yet today, 

nothing other than two cups of tea and a handful of raspberries.

as i was preparing the work-week's salmon, i cut up some smallish pieces, 

salmon snackers i like to call them, 

and smoked it all, lightly-coated with brown sugar, 

garnished with homegrown thyme. 

just what this coyote girl needed to keep from chewing off her legs,

gut-rumbling hunger reminding me it was time to tend to my own needs….

****

life is so very awesome, ain't it?

********