Five Good Things

Next time let me be a stag beetle,
lumbering with dignity
under my great horns, encased
in a carapace to balance
the weapons I can't fight with
but can't put down.

~Cecelia Hagen
The alley marquee, near the river walk, Corvallis, Oregon.



We went through Corvallis, between our stay in Albany and our return to the coast, but it was a whirlwind visit. More like a stretch your legs-find a bathroom-grab a cookie-fuel up the car-stop. Corvallis is worthy of a more studied and leisurely visit than this! This is the town where Ron and Delia visit often, to enjoy sights, and for Ron to do his his research and dragonfly work at the University. This is where they brought Alex for Da Vinci Days, for the Mud Bog, and the River Race. I've been keen to visit for years, even before my mom sent us her photographs of the greatest statue ever. And now that I've had a small taste of Corvallis, I am more certain than ever that I will be back. And not just because I found a my favorite franchise bakery: Great Harvest! Seems, I can choose between two great cities... Minneapolis, and Corvallis, when I am hungry for delicious bakery fare. If we return in winter, even late spring, there's a chance we'll be in snow. I actually like this possibility.

Good Things...

1. No bumps or delays... Maria and Alex are back to school, prepared, willing, ready.

2. Google, the Internet, wifi, computers, Wikipedia... I didn't have to limit myself to wondering who's Cecelia Hagen? I found her, and information about her, in just moments.

3. Art, poetry, food, beauty, inspiration, and time to enjoy the unexpected, in new, and usual, places.

4. The laundromat. Quarters. And a dirty laundry, wash, spin, dry, fold partner.

5. Watching The Lego Movie on our big screen, with friends, sharing the laughs, and delighting in all those great they get it moments! Well done, Lego. Well done.