Sharing a Poem

I'm going back in time to repost blogs from my past.  

This one appeared two years ago today.

A Name and a Rose

A name and a rose on the piano

It all comes down to this

It gives you pause to contemplate

On how much you can miss

In the days and moments between the time

You’re born and wind up here

And in the life remembered by

This plaque and flower bier

A name and a rose on the piano

Brings back memories

Of talk, laughter, meals and stories

Shared salubriously

So, remember and celebrate each life gone by

Not lugubriously  

But savor the moments together

In this life upon the sea

And don’t forget too soon 

We will all be on the list

A name and a rose on the piano

It all comes down to this

The author of this poem (not me) wishes to remain anonymous.

Here at Vantage House when someone dies their name is printed, framed and placed with a flower  on the piano.  Note there are two frames - when this photo was taken the second frame had just been added and the flowers appeared the next day.

Coping

one handed typing is a pain so excuse the lack of capitals.

here's what I'm dealing with.

it's like a football on my arm.

one more week.

dan washed my hair for me today.  that felt good.

I have managed to make some cards too - sympathy.  we lost a dear exercise friend on Sunday.  she was 93 years young.  it came on very suddenly.  no good byes.

we met her granddaughter at the viewing last night.  she said she always had to call grandma in the morning early because otherwise she wouldn't reach her.  she was so busy.  her presence will be missed here at vantage house.

Visitor

One morning last week I took tea and scone to the balcony.  While I was there a visitor stopped by.  Now this isn't so easy living on the 11th floor unless they came up the elevator and walked down the hall.  This visitor used its wings to visit.  I didn't have the camera with me that day but the next day the visitor came again while Dan and I had breakfast out there.  I was able to get the camera to record this momentous visit.

It helped that I fed the crow the first time and that we put something on the rail this time, too.

Dan calls the above balcony our front yard.

Our backyard is off the 2nd bedroom that we use as Dan's study.  And guess what the visitor stopped there too.

But not for long.

We haven't had it visit since last week when we had the lovely weather.

This week has been oppressively hot and humid.

A Walk I Like to Take

I like to walk around Wilde Lake here in downtown Columbia, MD.

Looking back at my starting point: Vantage House,

I head down the sidewalk to

Little Patuxent Parkway where I wait for the walk light.

Along the sidewalk on the other side,

I turn left and connect with the pathway around the lake.

My first view of the lake is the dam.

I take a right and head up a slight hill

where I can see the dam up close.

Then there's the lake.

Continuing on the path takes me to a dock of sorts.

Across the street is one of the original houses predating Columbia.

The house has been added on to over the years and

has become rather large.

Farther down the path I can see an original barn

with its very red roof.

The lake is surrounded by a mix of condominium apartments, townhomes, and single family houses.

At the top end of the lake I cross a bridge over the stream that fills the lake

and turn left.

On this side the path brings me to a street so

I have to walk on the sidewalk for a bit.

Eventually the path appears again on my left and I return to walk along the lake.

The path makes many turns going around several coves.

One last look at the lake before heading 

downhill with the dam on my left.

The last stretch back to the sidewalk.

Glancing to my right I can see Vantage House, my home, above the tree line in the distance.

I return there after enjoying a great walk around the lake.