We must come to the end before a new beginning can come to us. —Helene Cixous Sitting in the backyard, I marvel at this unnamed plant, found on the nursery table under a sign: “For Hummingbirds and Bees.” Its narrow, bright-green stem stretches up almost five feet, doing absolutely nothing for the first couple of feet.  Or perhaps pruned by the deer.  Finally, yesterday, at the very top, a thistle.  A round ball maybe two inches across, with spikes sticking out.  On either side of the stem, perfectly symmetrical pairs of toothed leaves [...]

Dear Janet, Wow!  You’re a grandmother.  No fooling.  I just got a letter from Link with a delightful picture of laughing fellow Emmett James Graham Bertram.  That’s a  solid grounded Midwestern name from your wild girl child, now mother.  Sounds like the beginning of a country song, or long poem.  “Emmett James Graham Bertram set off for the river one day.  Looking for fish,  running from sorrow, hoping his darling would stay.” He looks like Amanda with those fat dimpled cheeks and twinkling eyes.  But blue, not mahogany brown.  Uncle Nick calls him [...]