Sightings on a Walk

 

A flag with two stars – two military deaths?

A utility pole with a seriously twisted trunk, I’ve never seen anything like it.

A house with cactus layout in the front yard, stepping stone paths criss-crossing, seating areas, a porch-type swing, all abandoned. The cactus showed some kind of fungus, but also yellow flowers. A plant with big, beautiful yellow flowers. The cactus needs to be removed, and all the landscaping needs to be refreshed, cleaned up, cleaned out.

A home with a large back yard, with a motorhome, cars, stacks of white plastic chairs, easily room for a large pool or play yard.

A small church where the banquet hall had tables set out with table cloths, someone putting out place settings, preparing for party of some kind, but what? It was already 7 pm and no one else was there. Was it for a Saturday morning breakfast?

The big church had all their jasmine in bloom, a very strong, very pleasing fragrance. A meeting was going on there – the gates were unlocked, open and a few people were outside talking. I could see a basement doorway that had a drawing that looked like the old stained glass drawings, a stylized man figure with his arms around a long sheet of paper. There were letters on the window, but they must have spelled a word in another language. Maybe it was John, since it was St. John church.

I walked up to a bus stop just as a bus was rolling up, so I stood back so the driver would know I wasn’t waiting for him. I sat for a moment. Saw someone riding by, window open, wearing a paper Covid mask.

I picked up a small cloth flag.

I picked up a small Styrofoam container that was holding water. I didn’t want to leave a place for the mosquitoes, even though it’s not mosquito season. I don’t think.

A young girl walked by, out for exercise apparently. She stepped into the street to pass me.

My toes hurt because my shoes are too small.

I quick-stepped across the street to avoid oncoming cars, with plenty of time to spare.

The whole walk took about an hour, and most of the stuff I noticed was on the way back.

I wanted to walk slow enough to think, but I didn’t think much. I only observed, and wondered why those yards looked so abandoned, like the owners just gave up, just stopped caring so much about the yard, and thought about other things. Hopefully good other things.