I've been enjoying my summer immensely. In the suburb where I live, we have a beautiful park with trees and grass that stretches along the river (more like a stream, really) that runs through the center of town. In Edmonton, there's a real river, and parkland that runs along both sides of it almost all the way through the city. In the summer, when the trees have leaves, it is always beautiful, even on cloudy days. Going for walks along either river is one of my favorite things.

Care to share a favorite thing about where you live?

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), August 09, 2000

Answers

I am enjoying sitting on my glider on my front porch on a lazy, warm summer day. My lovely view is of my japanese garden with a huckleberry bush, where the robins come to eat berries, a large pot of bee balm, which is graced by the visits of the rufous hummingbirds, and the treasure of my whole yard, 6 pots of stargazer lilies, all blooming and diffusing their exotic, heavy scent over the whole garden.........

That, and a nice cup of tea to enjoy is just like heaven, to me......

-- (sis@home.zzz), August 09, 2000.

The cypress are heavy this year with seed cones. My little deck by the bayou is littered with the remnants of the husks where the squirrels have eaten the oily insides.

The first cool spell of autumn has come, and as I sit trying to read, its soft coolness blows my thoughts away as easily as the cherry-scented smoke from my old pipe.

A foot-long shad jumps clear of the dark green water and lands with a splash four feet away. In mid-air its side turns to the sun, and becomes hammered silver. Katie looks intently at the spot where it landed, and then at me. She cant understand that I dont have the heart to even fish on such a perfect day.

The boat-tailed grackles have been ravaging the feeders all day. Now they sit in the old oaks and give me a raucous concert in appreciation of the black sunflower seeds I had provided. One call always sounds to me like the squeak of an old screen door. It reminds me of endless kid-summers, and I realize that another one has somehow slipped away.

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 17, 2000.

That was lovely, Lon!

My daughter came to visit this weekend and we had a wonderful time! Saturday morning we hiked three miles through the trees and hills at the nearby Nature Center. The air was cold and crisp (about 45 degrees) and we could see our breath. Steam was rising off of the still-warm lake. The animals seemed thrilled that fall had arrived. We saw lots of birds and squirrels, five deer and a badger. The people we met along the way all wished us a hearty 'good morning!' My daughter was amazed and remarked that she KNEW she wasn't in Houston! :-) What do I like about it here? No pollution, no traffic, beautiful countryside, friendly people. I hear they actually have FOUR seasons in Missouri. I can't wait!

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 18, 2000.

Thanks, Lon and Gayla... I was beginning to wonder if everyone else but Kritter here hated where they lived!

I think I'll see if I can post a picture of my river walk on the FRL picture place.. but not today... too rushed!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), September 19, 2000.

Gayla,

Missouri sounds nice. I've thought about leaving Texas several times, but never quite got around to it. But...one more summer like this last one, and I just might!

I talked to a rancher just north of Austin today. He said the level in his wells has dropped almost 80 feet in the last two years. I'm afraid that some Texas cities are gonna learn a hard lesson in the next decade. Much of Texas is semi-arid land afterall, and there is a limit as to how much strain you can put on ancient aquafers.

P. S - keep my brother in your thoughts. He has reached the tough part of chemotherapy. He has lost 22 pounds in the last two weeks and is starting to lose the last of his hair. Still in good spirits thoough, and no medication for pain.

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 19, 2000.

Trish, just where is the FRL picture place?

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), September 19, 2000.

Tourists gone, the beach all to myself. The water is still warm the sun still hot. The terns and sandpipers fish the surf as they make their way south. Lots of shells to pick through as I walk barefooted on the water's edge. A breaker breaks and the sound reminds me of how mellow I feel. I thank the great Creator for this moment in eternity. Thankfulness seems the proper response. I don't think I could live too long away from the beach....

-- BB (peace2u@bellatlantic.net), September 20, 2000.

The rolling hills. . .the absolute quiet of the daytime, save the occasional rooster crowing. . . the gorgeous sunsets. . . the mystical reverie of the real 'hilltop'. . .and all those brilliant, twinkling stars. . .

-- Brooke (Happiness@hill.top), September 20, 2000.

Thanks, Lon, for letting me know about your brother. I'll keep him in my prayers. I've heard people say that the cure is sometimes worse than the disease. That is an awful lot of weight to lose in such a short time. Poor thing! (I've seen that the Houston area is finally getting some much needed rain. I hope Austin is getting it too.)

BB, that was very nice. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It sounds like you really love the beach. :-) I do, too. The waves always remind me of God's love... never-ending.

Brooke, good to hear from YOU, too! Glad you made it safely back to the hilltop.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 24, 2000.

Lon, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond... I've been taking a net break lately.

The frl pic site is on MSN... URL : http://communities.msn.com

TB2000Fruitcakes is the community you want... you may have to register. I *still* haven't even got my pic into the computer yet, never mind up on the net... and it may be quite awhile. It always seems like I have 2 hours of catching up to do here for every hour I spend here... one step up, two steps back ;-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), September 24, 2000.