A visit near the Pacific

Long, long ago, at the end of another century, my brother Dave 

and his wife Peggy brought Mom to California for a visit and

we all went up to youngest sister Marjory's place near Mendocino. 

Here we were looking out over the ocean and I looked back at them! 

I have always liked this picture of Peggy, who is a person 

who really knows how to create good fun wherever she is. 

My Mom loved this trip! 

I also like the way the light comes through the trees

in the background; it is very "California" and reminds me 

of woodcuts done by Western artists early in the 20th century.

Swinging from Parents

The child walks between her father and mother, 

holding their hands.She makes the shape of the y 

at the end of infancy, and lifts her feet 

the way the y pulls up its feet, and swings 

like the v in love, between an o and an e
who are strong and steady and as far as she knows
will be there to swing from forever. Sometimes 

her father, using his free hand, points to something 

and says its name, the way the arm of the r 

points into the future at the end of father.
Or the r at the end of forever. It’s that forever 

the child puts her trust in, lifting her knees, 

swinging her feet out over the world.

Ted Kooser

Splitting an Order, Copper Canyon Press, 2014, page 12.