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In July I continued my habit of taking very long walks early in the morning, and I was amply rewarded! More flowers, more sidewalk poetry, more amusing lawn ornaments, and more stories.   Doesn't this flower look like it's lit from within?   Some mushrooms are really flowers at heart. 
 Through the trees, a glimpse of a pond I didn't know was there.  Here's an albino squirrel I see frequently on my walks. (Or maybe it's not the same one?!) I would like to believe this little guy brings me good luck.  On a beautiful Sunday morning, this squirrel was enjoying his breakfast—an entire bagel. Maybe he's got the New York Times stashed away somewhere too.  A birthday balloon determined to celebrate until the last possible moment.
Not much to look at here...but wait, isn't that a word on the garage?   No joy here...  No joy here, either...  But here the joy has been given permanent status. Now for some lawn ornaments...    
 This yard is a story in itself!
 Do you get the feeling the shrub is reaching with all its might toward the broken branch?  A food or water dish for a stray cat. Acts of kindness are all around.  A shattered TV on the sidewalk...  ...but how lovely, the shattered bits of sky!  Old box springs ready to be picked up.   
 What hurt you today was taken out of your heart by the meadowlark who slipped the silver needle of her song in and out of the grey day and mended what was torn. 
 In closing, here's another flower. Always reach for the light.
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Over the Fourth of July weekend I visited my son (Louis, 21) in Iowa City. (He had a summer research job at the University of Iowa.) We went on several hikes and toured the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library—and just before I left, we struck gold at the Salvation Army. (Louis was very patient with me. Some moms spend hours shopping for the just-right pair of shoes or draperies or lamps or whatever. I'm not one of of those moms.) Here are some of my big finds: Birthday Bath! It's a snow globe AND a music box. It's a clown in a tub with a rubber duck, a boat, lots of bubbles, and a faithful dog companion.
Here is another inexplicable music box. This one didn't come with a name, but when I look at this mysterious couple I hear "Androgynous" by the Replacements.   I'm not sure what bothers me most about this earnest gal. Is it the missing piece of arm? Or is it the idea that if she were standing up, her arms would probably hang well past her knees?
A rooster/polar bear that was NOT hand carved by anyone in any particular country. Which makes it all the more confusing. That does it for the Iowa City thrift store adventure, at least for now. (I'm saving a few special seasonal treats for later.) But here is a local find:
I promised you a silver giraffe, didn't I...  On a super-hot day in early July, I discovered a menagerie across from the Shopko in Windom (MN). Of course I had to take a closer look.    And there you go. A silver giraffe.
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Nancy Loewenis a children's book author, editor, tutor, mom of two adult children and one feisty cat, and collector of weird things. Featured Posts
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