*

after a full week and two days in which someone in this household was ailing with a very vicious stomach flu, i grasped greedily at the past three long and healthy summer days. good health is everything.

the mild warm weather. the summer fruits. ice cream. reading. fourth of july. cousins. barbecues. swim and water fun. backyard dinners. some house organizing and tiny projects completed. taking the photo of a big yellow butterfly on the butterfly bush that’s exactly the same as one i took last year on the very same day. the brown tan lines darkening across the boys’ lower backs. despite the SPF, they’re getting “brown as berries,” like my grandma used to say.

yes, all that in just a few short well-lived days. gentle reminders of the circle and also reminders that the days are passing right on by, with or without us. hoping to stay in play for the rest of this good summer.