Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Where Did Last Week Go?

(Last Sunday, Will and I took a walk with the goal of finding ten interesting things. We called this stick we found "Singing Opera Lady." Photo credit: The Man)


It is a strange thing to lose an entire week. Where did it go? Is it hiding under the couch? Did the dog chew it into little pieces?

I have no answers. What I know for sure: I did a school visit. I didn't do much cleaning. I wrote in the mornings. The weather was wet, humid and gloomy, inviting armies of mushrooms to invade my front yard.

What happened to last week? What happened to fall? Where is my cool, crisp air? Why are mushrooms so disgusting?

The funnest thing I did last week was make lists of interesting things I saw throughout the day. This is a good exercise if you feel a need for minor league delight. Given the icky mushrooms in my yard, I needed all the delight I could get. It takes a lot of delight to counteract a mushroom attack.

Some of the things I saw as I made my way through the week that disappeared:

1. A periwinkle blue mailbox.

2. A private street sign that read "Blue Dog Road." (Isn't that a great street name? I wish I lived there.)

3. A little girl on Our Fine School's playground twirling around in a red, sparkly skirt.

4. A license plate that read "FishFndr." Is that Fish Finder? Or Fish Funder? Or maybe Fish Founder?

5. A woman wearing big curlers walking her dog.

6. A crow eating a potato chip.

These are not especially amazing sights, but they cheered me up and made me glad I'd taken the time to look around. Did you know there's a carport in my neighborhood with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling? I've walked past this carport over a hundred times in the last few years, but only noticed the chandelier last week, and only because I was actively looking around, wanting the world to delight me, if only for five minutes.

So that's sort of what happened to last week, that and mushrooms and really bad allergies that made me feel sleepy all the time.

I am going to leave you with the last stanza of one of my favorite poems, "I Am Waiting" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. If you want to read the whole poem, you can go here.

(And don't worry, this week doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I guess it likes it here.)


I am waiting
to get some intimations
of immortality
by recollecting my early childhood
and I am waiting
for the green mornings to come again
youth’s dumb green fields come back again
and I am waiting
for some strains of unpremeditated art
to shake my typewriter
and I am waiting to write
the great indelible poem
and I am waiting
for the last long careless rapture
and I am perpetually waiting
for the fleeing lovers on the Grecian Urn
to catch each other up at last
and embrace
and I am waiting
perpetually and forever
a renaissance of wonder

8 comments:

The dB family said...

Last week flew by very quickly here too. Perhaps the earth is spinning a little faster these days :o). I hope your mushrooms are gone and that you enjoy little delights this week too. A chandelier in the carport, how neat is that?!

Blessings!
Deborah

debbie bailey said...

My daughter lives on Shady Trail. I think that's a sweet street name. I saw one close to Beaufort, SC that was Luna Media (Paper Moon). I love that one!

I agree about the flying of time. Where has September gone? It's one of my favorite months, and now it's almost gone. I want to savor October, since it really is my favorite month.

Tracy said...

This week is racing by faster than I'd like. The school holidays should meander by...but no, it's already Wednesday. We haven't seen the Smurf movie and I haven't been to Costco yet.

I have to tell you, Mr Busy was desperate for something to read and has begun reading 'Chicken Boy'. He's hooked.

A chandelier in the carport? Hmmmm.

Pom Pom said...

Oh, that's a wonderful bit of poem, Frances!
Oh my goodness, it's HOT in Denver today and Obama's here so there is so much traffic. I'm tired. I need a vacation already!
The good news? We get to go to the library tomorrow.
Love the crow eating the potato chip and the little girl spinning in her red skirt!

Gumbo Lily said...

The lady walking her dog in her curlers intrigues me. I often wonder when I see someone *out in public in curlers*....when is it a good time NOT to wear curlers?

I like the poem. I hope the coming weeks don't run off so quickly.

Jody

Angela said...

1&2 - was the blue mailbox on the blue street? here in the UK we have slots on the door- mailboxes are unusual.

3-I still love twirly skirts and I am 56

4 I think it's Fish Fender- that part of his vehicle is made of cuttlefish bone sprayed silver.

5 I have amental picture of a poodle in matching curlers

6 British confusion - here a potato chip is a french fry [and we call chips 'crisps']

What glorious things to brighten up the week.

I saw a man carrying a full size papier mache mannequin under his arm. But I was riding pillion and sadly could not take a picture at the time!

so sorry about the mushrooms and the allergies. I loved the poem.

blessings x

Leslie said...

Oh, I totally see the singing opera lady! That made me smile. And she is singing with such gusto!
Love your observances and the chandelier is intriguing and FUN. I detest mushrooms, especially the nasty stink horn. Dis. Gust. Ing.

GretchenJoanna said...

I'd never read that Ferlinghetti poem before - it is a feast, and a reminder TO wonder. Thanks very much. Did you get chickens? They are full of wonders, too....