Happy Labor Day - Haze due to California Fires - Happy Labor Day poem - Walk at Pennypack Trust

I'm sipping on Pumpkin Coffee, still fairly flavorful after two years in its foil packet, a gift from Iris, the most chatty Facebook friend.

I posted the below on Facebook and got shocked responses.

My friend Helene told me she heard a live broadcast of RadioLab, which I'd never heard of.

They were talking about the wonderful drug LITHIUM, in use in the USA since about 1970. Brought to the US by Mogens Shou from Denmark.

Since then we've learned a lot about the drug.

It causes irreversible kidney disease. As head of a bipolar support group, I know of at least 50 people - if not more - who either died from chronic kidney failure, had kidney transplants and either died or are still living. Several friends are biding their time, eat a kidney-healthy diet in hopes of not needing a transplant.

My own kidney transplant was in 2011.

Ruth Z Deming, MGPGP
Founder/Director of New Directions Support Group www.newdirectionssupport.org

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Is your neighborhood hazy like mine is in Willow Grove, PA?

Here's why. Click here.



Some poems for your delectation.

HAPPY LABOR DAY

The power of Monday
spent loafing.

Is it possible?
I made up a list
of things I love
printed up on orange
construction paper:

Our Writers' Group at B's house.
Judy Liebovitz fishing through my
fridge looking for snacks.
The curlicue steam coming
from a fresh cuppa morning coffee.

Scott busting into my house
asking, "What we gonna do today?"

Sitting on the front stoop
listening. Listening for God.

***

WALK AT PENNYPACK TRUST

Scott and I drove over in the
insufferable heat.
After parking, we had the usual
conundrum - which way to walk,
which trail to take, and agreed
to take the Trail down to the pond.

The Trail had disappeared. Had the
new director imprinted his changes
on our beloved Trust?

Every trail we used to take was gone!

The once useless Bird Blind now harbored five
gobblers, full-grown beauts showing off
their gorgeous behinds.

They tiptoed around strutting their wares
nibbling on crumbs on the dusty ground
shooing away a curious squirrel.

We saw a fast-moving groundhog
But we didn't see David Robertson.

We saw the huge-trunked tree
in the parking lot
But we didn't see David Robertson.

We drove home and I peeked in my
rear-view mirror, hoping I'd
catch a glimpse of David Robertson.

He was nowhere to be found.

Farewell David and Mary Robertson. They're pursuing their hiking dreams in Colorado.