Summer Onions

Yesterday I saw some turtles had scored themselves a lifetime supply of onions.

I'm really sick of the summer heat this year. It's making me sluggish and unmotivated. I went to the mall yesterday to enjoy free air conditioning with everyone. I read Thomas Carlyle at Starbucks for a while. I had a nice big tuna rice bowl, magurodonburi, for lunch because it was fairly cool. It also turned out to be delicious.

Here's a spider I saw yesterday. I hope she's writing, "Autumn is coming".

X Sonnet #1730

A flower dream was small and known to bloom.
But later years revoked a thought for dreams.
Reversed, we woke the end and slept the doom.
So where's the sense to sew the sloppy seams?
It starts at See's with suckers sold for cash.
A broken pumpkin butterscotch contends.
The featherweight's above the grave with trash.
Of hasty kills a foolish plot portends.
A glowing salad praised the fire dressing.
Triangle bread could change the stomach mind.
But hearts were sugar notes of candy blessing.
At least, that's what the power people find.
The mound of oats arose to greet the day.
We trust the sun of yarns will find a way.

The Birds of Setsubun

There's no sneaking up on this bird. There have been lots of beautiful birds coming out of hiding--I've been seeing a lot of these with the blue and red feathers.

I was telling students last week that it was Groundhog Day (February 2) and they were telling me the next day was Setsubun (節分, February 3), which marks the first day of spring regardless of what groundhogs see in the U.S.

The big birds are out and about, too.

And I've also seen my first official turtle of 2021.

If it's anything like last year, this fellow will be only the first of a massive tide of turtle mobs.