Christmas In July

I found them, unused and half-forgotten, towards the bottom of a ludicrously tall basket. They were under and between layers of heavy and oddly shaped item---a dangerous parfait for such a fragile ingredient. For more than a moment, I considered taking them home. No...perhaps someone else in the family might want them. If not, they will go off to be discovered, adopted and treasured by someone else. This is the dilemma faced by those who are tasked with clearing out a home that is no longer the family home.

No Ice Cream

On the very cold day when I took this photo, my fingers could barely work the camera. The signs seemed unnecessary, even ironic, thanks to the blast of arctic air swirling around me. That was before we had to worry about whether the ice cream truck patrons are wearing masks as they stand in line, properly distanced, waiting for a Nutty Buddy or Creamsicle. What a different world it was then. Blocking the steps of a church while eating ice cream might be rude or thoughtless. Now it could be dangerous.

Green Tunnel

What do you do when the curtain of trailing leaves from your willow tree grows out over the sidewalk? Rather than cut back the entire tree, you can give it a "haircut" and shape it into a green tunnel. I like to linger for a minute or two, enjoying the shade, listening to the soft rustle of the remaining chains of leaves as they sway in the breeze. It feels safe and magical and a few degrees cooler.

Belief Plus Doubt

When museums open again, I have many artworks to revisit. At the Hirshhorn Museum, a ride down the elevator to the lower level will leave me surrounded by gigantic letters on every surface. For years, Barbara Kruger's art has included words. Her collages have given way to installations of statements and questions. And you could say, at least one arithmetic question. It seems especially pertinent at this moment: Belief plus Doubt equals Sanity.