Walk #241: Goldenrod...

The Goldenrod is blooming.

This late summer flower signifies the start of school and the close of summer as we head towards Labor day. Here in the Foothills, a new flower blooming is a cause for celebration. This Ridge doesn't have many hardy summer bloomers. How can anything but the hardiest of plants bloom when we haven't had any rain for four months?

I did the Lollipop walk with Angel. Another monstrously hot day. On such hot days, the best times for activity are the early morning (we were in church) and the evening. Forget the hours between noon and six pm. I spent those hours sweltering in my easy chair, reading Jean Auel's "Clan of the Cave Bear".

My 241st walk. How have they changed me?

I got an indication in Church today with a reading from the Song of Solomon. When I heard the words about seeing the "beloved" and the imagery of spring time and flowers, gazelles and the like---I thought: "Now there is a person who is connected with nature".

The Pastor (who hasn't set foot outside in quite some time) went on to describe some metaphoric blather about Jesus and the bride of the church--turning this eco-erotic, racy passage into something it is not. What I got from the Song of Solomon was a wonderful natural description of seeing your lover, from a person connected with nature.

It need not be anything more than that. Sometimes metaphors cheapen the text...