It’s breezy this Monday morning, the fifteenth day of July, but there’s a lot of mugginess inside The Haasienda. We expect temperatures in the mid to upper 80s but with continual winds of 8+ MPH.

Yesterday was a bit more relaxed until it was time to teach. A strong storm blew through the Miami Valley, wreaking havoc around the neighborhood. For a student who lives on the north side of Rockhill Avenue, they were without power; we had power. However, the internet was off and on.

My grocery delivery arrived last night with a bag of honey crisp apples included, but not on my order list. I always forget how much I like apples and I enjoyed one last night before going to bed, and again this morning, with my breakfast. I am glad I was not charged for this item and that it was mistakenly sent my way.

I will be away from the house for a spell this morning, returning in time to teach. The remainder of the week is somewhat quiet, and I will be at the PNC Annex on Friday to house manager a children’s production.

Other than that, my schedule will hopefully be filled with lots of research and writing. My fingers are crossed.

Make it a great day!

Apples by Laurie Lee

Behold the apples’ rounded worlds:
juice-green of July rain,
the black polestar of flowers,
the rind mapped with its crimson stain.

The russet, crab and cottage red
burn to the sun’s hot brass,
then drop like sweat from every branch
and bubble in the grass.

They lie as wanton as they fall,
and where they fall and break,
the stallion clamps his crunching jaws,
the starling stabs his beak.

In each plump gourd the cidery bite
of boys’ teeth tears the skin;
the waltzing wasp consumes his share,
the bent worm enters in.

I, with as easy hunger, take
entire my season’s dole;
welcome the ripe, the sweet, the sour,
the hollow and the whole.