When chaos is wonderful

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This weekend was the fifth anniversary of Choosing Summer Day. The shy golden retriever who inhabits my home and this blog (and co-stars in Dejah & Summer in the Time of Magic) was born July 20, 2021, picked out of the litter on Aug. 29, and taken home to stay on Sept. 11.

The 45 minutes I spent on the floor with 10 five-week-old golden retriever puppies remains one of the highlights of my life. Everyone should have an experience like that one; it would eliminate almost all of the unhappiness in the world.

We had picked the name “Summer” during the two-hour drive to the breeders’ home, where we met Windsor, her magnificent father, and Lady, her sweet mom. Lady had delivered eight female pups and two males, and we had signed up for a girl. All I had to do was dive in and choose. My answer to the question “how do you pick from among eight puppies?” was to get to know them all as best as I could.

I absolutely forget how I decided which puppy was Summer. After 45 minutes she was my pal, somehow. To tell the truth, the puppy who really seemed to want to come home with us was one of the two males, and I had to keep saying, “I’m sorry, buddy, but you can’t,” the poor little guy.

I have no idea which one of the puppies in this photo is the one wearing the yellow collar that I finally chose. Cj and I took a lot of photos that show my delight and more sweet little faces, but this is the one that shows all 10 of them in the midst of the wonderful chaos.

Not quite fully green anymore

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Five o’clock in the morning is a different place when the sun is still hiding. The clock is the only thing that remains constant from those lovely mornings when light was already creeping across the yard. We have the cool stillness still, but the light is a physical cue that day has begun to reassure a weary body and soul that it is not total madness to climb out of that cozy bed, and that cue has slowly vanished since the summer solstice more than two months ago.

I felt the cool late-August breeze when I ventured outside. “Here I come,” autumn whispered. I resisted — summer can’t leave yet! It can’t be time to pack up for fall and winter, I haven’t finished unpacking for spring and summer.

But something in the trees is not quite fully green anymore. The breeze is still warm enough to be refreshing — more refreshing than a hot summer breeze, if I’m honest — but it reminds us that if there’s to be warmth in coming months, we will have to make it ourselves.

I have always said that the first day of school deceives us into believing that summer is over, because of course there are still three weeks before the fall equinox and the official first day of autumn. Still, with September upon us I can’t deny that the inevitable change is in the air.

Those of us who live near the 45th parallel like to say we love the four seasons, but if I’m honest love is a word I would apply to only three seasons, and so I have a bittersweet feeling as I eye the calendar and ask, “Where has the time gone?” It has gone the same way it has always gone, of course, long time passing, long time ago.

Three Willows is near the southern border of a summer vacation paradise, and the highway that parallels my front porch will grow less frantic as getaway season transforms into fall colors season and finally into the quiet season. That’s a blessing. There are always blessings to be found whatever the season, and that comforts me as I brace myself gently for what’s coming.

Allen the Alien, Chapter 5

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The meeting proceeded with much fanfare and an air of celebration — it is, after all, not very often that anyone receives an invitation to join an interplanetary federation — but Allen felt he should seek out Tommy afterwards.

He brought his aide, Trisight, along and found Tommy sitting on a nearby park bench.

“Thank you for helping us, young one, but I can’t help but notice you still seem to be unhappy.”

“I don’t know,” Tommy said. “I’m not sure you should trust Ellie.”

This surprised Allen. “It was not very long ago that you were saying I am the one who can’t be trusted.”

“I know, and I guess I kind of like you now that you admitted you’re an alien and all. It’s just that Ellie has a way of promising things that sound great but don’t come true.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, she’ll say everyone should vote for her and everything will get better, and what do you know, they don’t get better.”

“I see,” Allen said, exchanging a glance with his silent aide.

“So when she says she’s real happy to join your federation, I’m not sure she’s telling the truth,” said Tommy.

“Why wouldn’t she be happy?”

“I don’t know. I think she likes to be the boss.”

“Our federation doesn’t have bosses,” Allen said. “We leave each planet alone to follow its own path.”

“She’ll probably want to boss you around anyway. It’s what she does.”

“That can’t happen,” said Trisight, breaking his silence.

“Doesn’t mean she won’t try.”

Allen thought about this news. “We will proceed with caution,” he said.

“What does that mean?” Tommy asked.

“We will be careful about giving Ellie an opportunity to try to boss us around,” Allen said.

“Good idea,” Tommy said. “Just don’t let her know I warned you. She can get crabby with people who get in her way.”

Just then Ellie appeared with Count Duckula at her side.

“My!” she said. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“Of course not,” Allen said. “How can we help you?”

“I want to know more about how your federation works,” said the smiling duck leader. “If we wanted or needed something to be done, how would we go about getting it done?”

“I gotta go,” said Tommy, and he scooted away.

Ellie looked at Count Duckula. “Be a dear and follow him.”

“Why?” Allen and Count Duckula said together.

“To — make sure he gets home safely, of course.”

Trisight stepped forward to stand at Duckula’s side. “I will join the count so that you two can have a chat.”

This did not appear to please Ellie, but she agreed, and the two sidekicks followed after Tommy.

“Now, Allen,” Ellie said with a big smile. “About my question …?”

Continued next Saturday