Someday We'll Find the Rainbow Connection

Darkness is falling and Kenny Loggins is singing.

You probably have one of two reactions to Kenny Loggins (not classic, but after he went through his new agey transformation). It's probably a reaction similar to your intense hatred or melting love for the music of Neil Diamond. The girls seem to be calmed by his kid's album. Playing now: a cover of the Willy Wonka song, "Pure Imagination."

Somebody stop me--I'm just blathering on. This is probably because the real me is completely distracted and rather wound up with leaving the house and garden and packing up for the summer. Doubtlessly the summer away will be enchanting and lovely, but the process of leaving is not as much fun, especially when you come from genetic stock that makes you feel that everything must be neat and clean before you leave (just in case:
a. you are tired when you come home (given);
b. you never come home and you don't want the people cleaning out your house to be grossed out;
c. the house just feels happier that way.

I'm still mourning the fact that I will not be able to mulch the rest of garden before I leave after spending endless days weeding. How the wicked weeds will thrive as soon as they see me drive away! And the rabbits seem to be attacking the vegetables--they're even munching the zucchini vine, for heaven's sakes.

Currently Kenny (in a duet with Amy Grant, of all people) is crooning the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Pooh Corner." I know this pains some of you acutely. Ooo. Mellow guitar solo. (Children laughing in background?) It's good stuff.

Schedule for summer is as follows: Drive to beach, NC. Drive to Mississippi, then to Texas. Drive all the way home. Repack and shake head over garden for one day. Fly out to WA the next morning. Drive to MT. Drive back to WA. Return home.

Books I must read/reread: Essays, ed. by Annie Dillard; Flame Trees of Thika, Elspeth Huxley; Woman Warrior, M. H. Kingston. Columns to write from interviews I've already recorded: plenty.

Indeed, we are incredibly lucky folks to be able to visit our wonderful family scattered over the country. Please come and pick the raspberries, those of you who live close. And the flowers. Is it Kenny singing "The Rainbow Connection" that makes me sentimental for you good folk? We'll miss you.