Still life at lunch

It is crisp and clear and the leafless trees Freeze in scene, in Winter grays and tans. I drive from home to meet Cindy at the Mexican restaurant downtown. Classical pieces play softly from the public radio station, Imperial background to the cold and majestic passing. We sit together as far from the entrance As we can and spoon up the steaming soup From our respective bowls, Sustenance and comfort for the January day. Waitresses languidly leaning against the far wall, A moment in public among the patrons In the gaily painted restaurant, Bathed in the dull buzzing of people we don't know Our knees touching under the table Wistful smiles passing between us.

January 10, 1986, 12:28 a.m.

On this particular day Clutched in Winter's freeze You arrived, a patient, ruddy face Wrapped up in a warm blanket And passed quietly from doctor To nurse to me So I might gaze in your turquoise eyes At the expression of a gift Of time and stress and anxiety And passion between your mother and me One lusty Spring afternoon Nine months before, give or take a few weeks An amazing, tiny red star Newly born in the firmament, Tossed into the midnight blue of a Friday morning, January 10, 1986 at 12:28 a.m.

Turkeys in flight

Within a week's tome I had two opportunities to see wild turkeys in flight. The first occurred as I was heading home from meeting with a borrower at his home deep in the countryside of Marian County southeast of Columbus. As I headed back to the main road down a dirt road my eye caught a Tom and a jenny (is that right?) jerking into flight from a spot alongside the road. That experience was followed by the sight of another tom and jenny blasting across my path as I headed west toward LaGrange from Greenville yesterday morning. Both experiences were novel and somewhat awe-inspiring. In some ways a tom turkey in flight is more of an awesome sight than most raptors or other birds in flight. They are huge birds and appear like an ocean liner or large navy ship crossing tour path. Amazing.