It was a classic car!

It was a "classic" car and it was parked halfway across the handicapped spot outside our coffee shop. Earlier, when we arrived for our coffee break, we had been forced to park further away because another idiot(without a handicapped tag) had parked in the one and only blue painted handicapped spot!

This time I decided that enough was enough. The driver was in the process of emptying his coffee cup on the ground when I approached. "Are you aware that you're parked in a handicapped spot?" I asked. Looking me directly in the eye, he replied "yes". "So, you know that a handicapped person can't park there?" Again, without looking away, he said "yes". His passenger, a wannabe blonde, glared at me. I said that we had a handicapped tag for my husband and if we were looking for a parking spot, it wouldn't be available! He shrugged! I was furious and speechless!

In the car my husband berated me for getting upset. "Why do you have to get so upset about these things" he asked. At that point it was hard to tell whether I was more upset with him or with the other idiot!!

A pantoum

Seven years ago

I retired my brushes

Upright and ever ready

They sat in the dark

I retired my brushes

Alongside my creative soul

They sat in the dark

Unwilling to resurrect

Alongside my creative soul

Unable to dream

Unwilling to resurrect

Peering at blank canvases

Unable to dream

Stacked neatly beneath

Peering at blank canvases

When the artist disappeared

Stacked neatly beneath

Upright and ever ready

When the artist disappeared

Seven years ago

Sturgis North

Thousands of motorcycles have been roaring through our town for four days. Today is the last day of Sturgis North and I have to admit that I have a new fascination. These machines are incredible! The custom designs are jaw-dropping and the artwork is amazing.

I have found myself prowling around with camera in hand, 

trying to capture some of the colour and feeling of this event.

The average age of riders appears to be beyond their "best before date". 

They cling to the "bad boy or girl" image with their black clothing and leathers.

Some of the riders show a healthy respect for death 

with symbolic artwork carefully airbrushed onto their customized cycles.

Music legends are memorialized on shiny surfaces.

And then there's the colour!....

....and the shiny chrome!

Some travel in pairs...

...while others take a quiet moment away from the noise

with their best friend.

A July visit with August

Whether in the garden or at the lake,

August has an ongoing fascination with water.

His current love is hoses!! or puddles!!