The decibel level of the noise, i.e., the male mating song, created by the cicadas outside my window is deafening and rather bazaar just like the bugs themselves. Like a fly on steroids, their size unnerves me! When I saw one on the ground of the parking lot, I just about tripped over my flip-flops to avoid it though strangely I found myself easing back over to take a picture. I wasn't sure if it was dead or alive and would have freaked out if it lifted off into flight so I had to be quick with the aim and shoot. On the download, I was quite surprised. Who knew that a cicada was quite striking in color, that its body and wings iridescent? 
grandparent’s gardens grew the coleus. They weren’t my favorites, certainly weren’t the prettiest next to all the splendid spring blooms. However, I was quite fascinated with them, with the varied striation of colors and design and the soft velvety feel of their leaves. I wondered how I could sew these natural fabrics into a voluminous skirt to billow around my legs in a summer breeze. When I stumbled onto a huge patch of them after a 12 hour day at the office, I found myself stopping, my rush to get home suddenly replaced by a desire to linger in a moment past. I tried to remember why my grandmother had us pinch off the tops of the buds, a memory still hiding somewhere in my head, as I admired the lush assortment of plants dancing at my feet to the whispering evening wind. It didn’t much matter that I couldn’t recall that specific thing. Just being transported back to a time when after 12 hours, tired was still several hours away made me tingle with a delight that put a little skip in my step as I went to find my vintage car for the short drive home. 
This summer, I devoured good novels right along with some that were just okay. So if you've finished feelin' Grey or like me never began and are (still) searching for a good book, I suggest You Are the Love of My Life by Susan Richards Shreve. It’s a page-turner perfect for the summer/beach that may be best left for the porch or snuggled up on a hammock since it is in hard back. Far from an erotic romp, this one is a well-written novel about lies, secrets and shame that I seemed to finish in one huge bite! 
I do plan to delve into at least one more novel or an anthology of short stories or poetry before the end of August. As life has it, once September arrives, a stack of materials for learning purposes awaits my eyes as I prepare to take classes later in the fall. My book basket has a few selections that I bought but have yet to start so let me see what grabs my interest and as I do… 