1.
Under the green roof, a hummingbird hovering in the cactus orchids, the urgency of a Swainson’s thrush, again, again, again, and the scent of rosemary. It is almost too hot to drink coffee. Almost.
2.
It is not the summer you expected. The lilies are sun-burned, the bees are lying low. But when you see 8 of them in the hypericum, busy at the long stamens with the pollen grains quivering under their wings, you cut a bouquet and place the flowers at the base of the tomato plants, hoping your trick will work.
3.
While you were swimming, swallows were stitching sky to water, water to sky. Two kingfishers further along the shore, swooping out, a flash of blue grey, like water, like sky. And what was that, a bird skimming the surface of the lake, dark until it turned, and you saw the brilliant shoulder patches of a red-winged blackbird. On your way home, 6 vultures in the tree above the lagoon where eagles usually watch for ducklings. Who has died on a summer morning, who is left?
4.
Yesterday you were putting gifts in a box to mail next week for a 7th birthday and then the celebrant herself on your phone screen, proudly showing her certificate for Citizen of the Year.
...Theresa Kishkan 
Nice
On Tue., Jun. 29, 2021, 10:37 a.m. …Theresa Kishkan, writer…, wrote:
> theresakishkan posted: ” 1. Under the green roof, a hummingbird hovering > in the cactus orchids, the urgency of a Swainson’s thrush, again, again, > again, and the scent of rosemary. It is almost too hot to drink coffee. > Almost. 2. It is not the summer you expected. The lili” >
Thanks, Jane. I hope you’re staying cool.
OH such a proud and beautiful prize-winner! What could matter more than Citizen of the Year? Congratulations, Kelly!
The Citizen of the Year is off at bike camp today, in extreme heat. But apparently the splash park follows…
Can you say how Kelly came to be given the award? She’s yet another member of your notable family as you acknowledged in an earlier post. Do pass along congratulations to her, won’t you? And thank you for the “swallows stitching sky to water, water to sky”. I see it every day here over our slough but now it’ll be embellished with your words. And did the trick work on the bees? Winnie-the-Pooh had no luck deceiving bees as I recall so it can’t be easy.
Susan, I’ve asked the Citizen’s mum if Kelly might like to write a short paragraph explaining the award to me and to you. After bike camp today, her mum will suggest this to her.
Great idea. Hope she agrees to give it a try.
I hope so too, Susan!
Susan, the Citizen of the Year is very busy right now with bike camp, birthday parties, and swimming in the neighbour’s pool. But we did have a WhatsApp date this morning and I asked what it meant to be given the Citizen of the Year Award. She replied that she wasn’t exactly sure because nothing is listed on the certificate but she thinks it’s for being kind and helpful to her teacher and her fellow pupils. I also know that she participates in work parties in the ravine near her home, collecting litter and pulling invasive plants, so being a good citizen is not confined to school!