March 10th, 2010

a maze of underground corridors beneath the modern town of El Bawiti, Egypt

a maze of underground corridors beneath the modern town of El Bawiti, Egypt under · embracing your children, stroking their hair, cradling them in your arms · Adirondack yellow birch · entering your dog in a show-and-place · people who look good in miniskirts · making soups — bubbling softly, warming the house with delicious aromas and comforting your tummy on chilly nights · hot turkey sandwich for lunch · no guinea fowl along your walking trail · circumnavigating by travel guidebook · frost Jack Frost and his magic paint pot · insects breathing through spiracles — holes in the abdomens · braised beef stew · a nightdress below the knees for curling discreetly on couches · cockamamie ideas · when you’ve just dropped your kids off at camp · microscopic creatures · a polished hardwood stage · making a curve ball curve · an old-fashioned milk strainer for a farmer · “As long as we have someone to share our dreams, there’s nothing we can’t do, nothing we can’t be” · layered flaky pastry · charcoal-gray mirrors · exploring the mind · a mysterious intelligent presence · cardinals, field sparrows, and juncos searching for seeds · kids sailing paper sailboats in the bathroom sink · plunging both hands into life up to the elbows · refusing to be labeled · graduation photos · illustrating your data illustration

Serendipity

the amber-colored noodles of roast pork lo mein · eating at your desk · a store of memories · the oldest academic library in the world (1373) · the smell of Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion · shoes that are miniature trampolines · the first real overnight frosts · rice bowls · asking "what if?" · tender blossoms tied with a silk ribbon · heart-shaped cucumber sandwiches · buying farm-stand lettuce that's so clean it needs no washing · going for a family bike ride · offering a cup of coffee at an unexpected time · Devon, England · hand-cranking a freezer of peach ice cream · speaking at least three languages fluently · families that spend leisure hours together having a chance to grow and understand one another · sand dunes' color · mystery · investing money regularly · a shortened card table for picnics · late-night TV · jeans, a white T, and a blazer · Vogue magazine · dating vintage glass bottles · a wedding in the country · a huge set of Prismacolor or Koh-i-Noor colored pencils · bubble gum comics · the sound of elevator bells, shoppers' sighs, and Muzak