A couple of days ago N. called me to take a look at a "visitor" in our backyard. I grabbed my camera to document the event. Usually we see only does and fawns; a couple of times there has been a young buck, but this was the first appearance of this trophy buck. Hard to believe he would so casually graze out in the open--after all, hunting season has begun!
We had visitors from Connecticut (Sue and Kim from N's running group) and they got the full Central Texas tour--the Hill Country, Austin, San Antonio (including a chance to spectate at the Rock 'n Roll Marathon), the outlet mall (of course) and, the piece de resistance, Gruene Hall. There is no place to view and participate in Texas culture quite like Gruene Hall. The occasion was a concert by Tanya Tucker, and my only question is when will we cease having the tune "Delta Dawn" running through our heads? A night to remember!
One of the most satisfying aspects of spending a life in the study of literature is to happen onto something profoundly moving for the first time. This experience occurred again for me recently when I came across the sonnet "Since there's no help" by Michael Drayton (1563-1631). If I had ever encountered Drayton's poem, I do not remember--but what a joy to discover it now.
SINCE there's no help, come let us kiss and part;
Nay, I have done, you get no more of me,
And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart
That thus so cleanly I can free;
Shake hands forever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again,
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love's latest breath,
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes,
Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,
From death to life thou mightst him yet recover.
I hope the poem gives others as much pleasure as it gave me.
Ft. Hood is just up the road from us, so the tragedy at Ft. Hood is a local story in addition to being a national story. I was at a workshop this past weekend, and on Friday night we were asked to pray for the victims and for their families and fellow workers. Driving home that night I realized that we missed a real opportunity to pray for others affected by this senseless violence--the tortured soul who caused it (who lies in a hospital in San Antonio) and the American Muslim community, who are bound to be in some way implicated by those who jump to conclusions at times such as this. On Saturday at the concluding Eucharist, the participants joined their voices to pray for all affected by this tragedy--either immediately or in the days and weeks to come.
Was every famous movie made at Universal? It sure seems like it! On the tour of the back lot we saw the sets for so many movies that I can't remember them all--"Earthquake," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Psycho," "Jaws"--the list goes on and on. And then we finished off the day at a taping of "The Tonight Show"! Who ever knew that Conan O'Brien sings to the audience after the taping ends? What a fun day!
Today--the Feast of All Saints--we watched as our twin infant granddaughters were baptized into the communion of the faithful. It was a glorious morning in southern California, and the smiles inside St. Michael and all Angels were the equal of the sun outside on this bright fall day. And the girls (resplendent in their Laura Ashley christening gowns) behaved perfectly. This grandfather was so proud he felt like he was going to burst!
We are in California for the baptism of our newest family members--our twin granddaughters. But the first order of business was Halloween--for the benefit of one little angel and two little pumpkins. The guys had scouted out the best place to go for a real Halloween experience--Torluca Lake, a neighborhood not far from their Hollywood home. This is the area that had estates at one time (Fred Astaire, Bob Hope) but now the area is more modest (by California standards) and is home to the Jonas brothers, Miley Cyrus, and perhaps others. I have seen plenty of Halloween decorations in my day, but I have never seen anything to rival the displays in Torluca Lake. A Halloween to remember!
