Refreshing breezes floated over the reeds;

Whispers of hello greeted winged friends.

Small ripples tickled the pond’s surface,

But no dragonflies nested among the flowers.

The chill in the air kept insects at bay,

But the scrub was still full of life, hidden.

Occasionally small jays and warblers flitted.

The dry season was wetter than normal.

The marshy lands overflowed to the sands.

Enjoy it while it lasts, soon heat will return.

The crunch of gravel and dirt filled Suzy’s ears as she turned down the long drive. Her music was loud, the windows down, and the perfect August weather made her smile. Tonight was the Perseids meteor shower’s peak, and the clear skies meant they would have a prime view.

She pulled the car to the side of the house and popped the trunk. Suzy pick up and carried two sacks full of groceries into the house, humming to herself. Soon she came back and pulled out a box of firewood. She set it in a nearby cart and closed the trunk, then hauled it up the hilly area to their deck.

They had built a small outdoor storage box next to the deck. She opened it and pulled out the pieces to the double hammock. Soon, the red striped canvas swung securely from its frame. She made sure the wood was stowed, the lighter in working order, then rested her hands on her hips, taking a look around before heading back to the house.

Steve wasn’t expected until the early evening, so Suzy had the house to herself for a few hours. When she got back she put the groceries away except for the fruits and vegetables needed for dinner. She washed those and put them in strainers next to the sink. She looked down and realized her shirt was soaked.

She huffed, looked at her watch, then grinned. Plenty of time remained for her to freshen up and relax. She stripped as she walked to the master bathroom. Standing over the tub, she dropped the stopper and began filling it with water and bubbles.

Suzy finished undressing and slipped into the bath as the water continued to pour in. Soon the tub was full. She turned off the water and relaxed. Her hands floated through the suds and she gently massaged all her tension from the work week away.

When she started to prune, she pulled the drain plug and slipped into the shower for a quick rinse. She could tell the day was ending by the changing light. She thought to herself, Time to prep dinner.

She dried off and slipped into some comfy clothes. Steve wasn’t expected until late, so dinner for one. But, she planned a nice little dessert with strawberries to share when he did get home.

She stood in the kitchen, eating off her plate of eggs, vegetables and béarnaise. She didn’t care about eating alone; it was nice to have a few quiet moments to herself. She hoped Steve wouldn’t be too tired tonight. It had been a long week for both of them and tonight started a long weekend break. Work had kept him up long hours and she hoped he’d finally get a break.

Suzy finished up her dinner, rinsed the plate, then sliced up the strawberries and tossed them in sugar to macerate. Then she mixed up a shortcake to bake and placed it in the oven.

While the cake baked, she caught up on some emails and flipped through photos shared by family across the country. The oven dinged. Suzy set her phone down and made her way back to the kitchen. The sky outside had quickly changed from sunset to midnight blue.

The smell from the shortcake was delightful as she pulled the piping hot joy from the oven. She pulled out a few sealable containers and dished out the berries into two bowls, and placed them and a can of whipped cream into a lunch cooler with some ice packs.

She saw his headlights as he pulled in. Her heart fluttered. She hoped he liked the surprise she’d put together. Steve soon walked into the house.

“What smells so good?” he asked as he opened the door.

She smile and quietly replied, “Shortcake!”

He laughed, “That smells good too,” then winked at her. She slid around the counter that separated them and tiptoed up to welcome him home with a kiss.

She lowered to her flat feet still in his embrace and looked up, “Get on some comfy clothes; I want to sit outside for a bit.”

Steve shook his head yes, released her, and sauntered down the hall. He wiggled his butt at her as he turned into the bedroom. She let out a giggle.

She pulled the throw off the sofa and placed it, the lunch cooler and the cake pan into a tote, then added a spoon and some forks. Last she grabbed some napkins.

Steve came out finally. He’d freshened up, she could smell his cologne down the hall. She grinned…maybe tonight would be even more than she planned.

She took him by the hand and handed him the tote, then led him out and up to their deck. As they came up the path, he saw she had already set up the hammock. He set the bag next to the hammock and sat down, swinging.

“So, what’s the occasion?” He wondered allowed.

Suzy busied herself with putting the wood into the fireplace.

“Honey, I will do that!” He stood up and joined her by the fire pit. Together they got the fire going.

“Nothing special. I thought it would be nice to look at the stars tonight.” She thought he may not know there was a meteor shower tonight.

She moved over to the hammock and invited him to join her. They reclined back next to each other. They shared details about their week and told each other jokes and stories.

Then, Suzy inhaled and pointed to the sky. Streaks of light spread across the sky. Steve looked up, and then turned back to her.

He planted a big kiss on her cheek. “Thank you!” His hand gently swept across her arm.

She looked back at him and saw that look in his eyes. The one that always made her melt. Goosebumps popped up on her arms.

Steve rolled back on his back and pulled out the throw to cover her up. She slid deeper into his warm arms and together they enjoyed their evening under the stars.

Why do I now like guacamole?

Avocados were always gross.

But now I find myself carving them up,

And creating the mushy stuff every other week!

I did this with tomatoes too,

Falling in and out of love with the red fruit…

Yes, that’s right, I called it a fruit!

Once a year we get to go pick them,

I love when there’s a bumper crop.

However, the acidity still burns my hands…

How else can you seed the darn things!

But back to those silly avocados,

Slimy and squishy and all of that..yuck!

Now I find myself almost craving them, huh?

Did you know if you get a red one,

The flesh might be yellowy-orange,

And topped with a little sugar, it’s good to go?

Or add in some onions, tomatoes, garlic, salt and lime,

Maybe even a little Cotija to make it cheesy,

And it’s the perfect pairing with lime tortilla chips.

Others might say, yay! Bring on the margaritas,

But nope, that hasn’t moved yet to a like,

but I’ll take a limeade or sangria, it’s all right.

With what foods have you had a love/hate relationship?

I hope one day to climb your mountain,

The one in the Nantahala National Forest.

Watch the peregrine falcons soar in the skies

And breathe fresh crisp air into my lungs.

Stare out over the sheer cliff drops

See the ice sheet like rocks glisten in the sun,

Enjoy mountain laurel and wood lily in bloom.

Take in all this beauty and so much more.

Maybe we’ll meet one day at the NOC store?

Dawn parked her car in the drive and exhaled. “I need a break!” she huffed under her breath. She turned off the car and stepped out of the car. Her foot splashed into a puddle. “Ugh!” With her soaked shoes squishing with each step, she walked to the mailbox and opened it. She pulled out the pile of bills and a kraft paper padded envelope. She blew a stray curl out of her eye as she made her way to the front door.

She opened it and two fluffy creatures sat on the other side waiting on her. Finally, a smile came to her face. She set down the mail and gave each a welcoming pat on each precious head.

The kraft envelope from the pile slipped out and hit the floor, causing the cats to fluff their tails and scatter. She winced and picked it up from the floor. “What is up with this envelope?” she muttered to herself as she flipped it over and unsealed the wrapped string. Inside set an invitation which read:

Dawn flipped over the invitation, puzzled as to why she received it. On the back, a hand-written note was scrawled.

Dawn, please come. All accommodations are handled except the flights. Meet at the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool on Friday after 3 PM. We have much to discuss.

She rolled the memories from decades before. It couldn’t be, could it? She found her way to the sofa and sat down, looking at the emptiness that greeted her. So much had changed. So much had not.

Her cats headbutted into her thighs, begging for her attention. “Well, should I go?” she cooed as she petted each of them. One rolled over, exposing his belly while the other rested her head on her thigh. “I think I might…”

She wondered who was invited, why now, and what the weekend would bring. She looked back over the invitation and in the envelope for any additional details. There were no instructions how to RSVP. There was a small envelop however inside. She pulled it out and untucked the flap. Inside was a single aspen leaf, dipped in gold.

She hung the invitation with the leaf on the refrigerator to keep it in plain view, to remind herself to look into tickets. She still had a few months ahead of her to plan the trip. But first, she had much work to do on herself.

That work starts now.