Making Memories by Liz Flaherty

I cut up oranges for the orioles and put out sugar water for hummingbirds. I have thistle seed hanging for finches--although I don't have any finches; do you? We buy suet cakes by the boxful and put them out most of the year. Because I've aged into watching birds, I don't mind this, but I'm looking out at the side yard right now and although the grass was recently cut and looks velvety beautiful, there are a million dandelion stems sticking up out of it. 

So, my question is, why don't birds like dandelion stems? It would be so handy if they did, not to mention cheap. Of course, if they liked them, there would end up being a politically motivated shortage of them and they'd no longer be either handy or cheap. 

A week ago Friday, our granddaughter, who lives in Texas, and her boyfriend, who lives in Kentucky, stopped in Peru on their way to Chicago to a wedding. We spent two hours with them eating B & K hot dogs and filling our grandparent hearts with love and laughter and hugs that filled all the right spaces. 

Today's Second Saturday and the Visual Arts Festival downtown Peru. The schedule's below and there are events all day long, including both visual arts and music. Artists in every medium appreciate your support. 

It's been a nice kind of week, hasn't it? The sun has shone and it hasn't rained for several days. The breeze has been just that--a breeze, as opposed to gale-force winds. According to my phone, all that stands to change today, but I'm thankful for the days past. Of course, I was complaining about the heat the minute the temperature climbed relentlessly into the 80s. No one listened when I complained, but I didn't let a little thing like that stop me.

This is also garage sale weekend, especially including the community one at the fairgrounds. 

If you've been through Denver, you know State Road 16 is...interesting...right now. But the baseball park is more so. I love going through there--very slowly!--because it's fun to see the boys of girls of summer out there. The parking lot is filled and then some every game night, and DeAngelo's is brightly lit and busy. In days when I so often feel as if absolutely nothing is the way it used to be (or as good as it used to be) seeing that crowded, happy place most definitely is. 

While I think all the years of your life are the best ones, none of them are any better than the ones you spend sitting on bleachers. Whether you're watching sports, listening to music, or cheering on a quiz bowl, those hours become beloved memories.

I'm rambling today. Sometimes thoughts come together and sometimes they don't. The "don't" happens to all writers, I'm sure, but the smarter ones probably keep it to themselves. Yeah, well... 

Tomorrow, we're going to sit on some lawn chairs and watch a grandboy play soccer. It'll be like bleachers days, making memories. I hope you have a good week. Be nice to somebody. - Liz