After a couple of quiet weeks, except for three interviews on various zoom type platforms, this weekend is suddenly far busier than we generally like.  Last night we had supper at tasha’s and she cooked sumptuous meal for us and Dale and Stephen.  This afternoon, we’re going to a last hurrah at Tony Pasquale’s restaurant Mezza Luna, which is closing after 30 years or so. He is inviting friends to a suckling pig roast.  Tomorrow two new friends, Chaim and Theresa are visiting in the afternoon bedore they go off for a month.  We all want to talk about the current war in israel, where Chaim was born and grew up until he was ten.  He has family there.

I finally got in touch with Adina, a very fine poet who came from Israel to study with me and with whom I correspond still.  I was worried about her, but so far, she is okay with her four children. I begin to suspect there will never be peace in the Middle East.  A lot of usually hidden anti-semitism is coming out and making us a bit paranoid. Coming out everyplace. 

It’s been nice to have a vacation from cooking or a couple of days. Today, I intend to watch the Michigan game – on and off as I do other chores.  I can’t give up more time.  I’ll leave the TV on in the livingroom sound off which is often the way I watch football anyhow a lot of the time, although the college commentators are often less obnoxious than some of the NFL commmentators. 

Apple season.  Looking forward to visiting an apple farm on Wednesday this week to get a bunch of fresh apples in far more varieties than the supermarkets sell.  Also, since rabbits ate our entire winter squash crop, [shey developed a taste for winter squash during the three month drought here last year], the orchard where we go also usually has various winter squashes.  I like butternuts and kabuchkas best. 

I finally was able to get back to the WHAT AN OWL KNOWS after a week interruption in reading it, due to news and also a plenthora of zines arriving [archeology, science, cat info, zines with my poems in  them] and an anthology I have two poems in and find interesting poems to enjoy. I’ve been more in the mood for reading poems and nonfiction lately.  I wouldn’t mind a new book of good short stories when I finally finish the owl book.

I have been doing little garden work.  The interviews ate a lot of time.  I got into my garden a few times to check on seedlings, weed, pick some  hot peppers.  This year, the Arapaho peppers only gave me three hot peppers so far. They actually liked the hot dry summer last year and not so much the somewhat wetter summer this year. I mayi have to go back to Cayennes, which is less weather dependent, although I like the Arapahos better.

It was quiet chilly last night.  Hint of what’s to come.  Some color around.