HYDRANGEA BY THE FRONT DOOR

Brewster, New York

I slept pretty darn well last night; perhaps I was tired out from the Nurse Jackie marathon the night before as well as our soul-searching/scorching conversation. Emotion can just wring a person right out. And I eschewed partaking of any alcohol, so that might have aided as well.

Tools on the bench.

I woke up and headed downstairs about 9:00. I chuckled as I came into the dining room as on the bench at the bottom of the stairs were these tools, ever so neatly lined up.

As I sat down with my coffee, Louise and I looked at patterns on the Vogue Pattern site and talked about sewing and design, debating degrees of tailoring difficulty, drape, and various fabrics. And then all of the sudden, perhaps mutual caffeination being reached, we went roaring into creative mode and began to discuss all manner of projects, some old, but mostly coming up with a new screenplay to focus on. And we talked and worked, sitting at our computers in our nightgowns and sweats until about 1:30 when we finally showered, dressed and went back to the Poet's Walk. (Louise had never been there.)

The critters were behind me on the window sill.

While Louise showered, I took the time to see if I could get some better shots of of the lilac in her yard, at least.

Mimosa on the back deck.

Lilacs.

Lilacs.

I couldn't take any more pictures on our walk as my iPhone is just too stuffed with music and images. But the day had cleared from the morning grey and drizzle so the walk was temperate and pleasant. We continued to work, of course, hotly debating various aspects of the television and film businesses, narrative structure, and all those sorts of things of which we never tire.

I took another fantastically leisurely drive home. Ever since I moved here nearly 20 years ago and was introduced to the Hudson River Valley by one of the Bs, I have wanted to meander. So meander I did again, while listening to Storm of Swords, which I must return to the library with only 10 discs to go. Agony! (Not really as I will rip the remaining discs and listen to them on my iPhone or something.) So, I couldn't take any pictures of the afternoon light, the astonishing greenery, or the solo heron standing in a pond. Trust me, utterly bucolic and lovely. I also saw, on yesterday's drive, a red fox with a mole or a possum or something (definitely not a domestic critter). What was most astonishing was how normal it seemed. The fox kind of stopped as I drove by. I have never seen a red fox in the wild (or the 'burbs) before, yet it was utterly quotidien, at least once I ascertained that it wasn't a kitty or a puppy being carried off.

Started another Coursera course, this one, The History of Rock, which I think I know pretty well, so I am taking it to fill in gaps and just for a lark. So far, I have listened to about 30 minutes of lecture and I do not think the professor is an idiot wanker and did think about the music in a different way, so that seems like a win. It just started yesterday so you can still sign up.

The garden and the garden shed.

The back of the house and the guest house in the distance.

Hydrangea by the front door.

Dogwood at the Poet's Walk.