The Green Shimmer

The mornings have been getting cooler and more comfortable, and I began my day with a lovely little drive along Spring Creek on my way to work.  Along the creek, there are several nice places to stop for pictures, and so I did.

I took the above photo at Spring Creek Park. I could see the shimmer of green on the water, and it seemed like the shimmer might be summer itself, so bright and lovely but also ephemeral. Some of you who have been with me a while might remember this bench from my original 365 day, several years ago. The light is often good there. You might also enjoy a look at this same scene in winter time.

And so my work day began well, and peacefully, and green. And it ended quite well also. When I got home, there was a knock at the front door, and a gentleman from Woodrings (a flower shop in town) delivered a dozen and a half or so of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen.

The card indicated they were a gift from my old friends that I often lunch with, my original work gang. The occasion for the flowers was to help celebrate my 30 years of full-time employment at Penn State, a milestone I reach in September.

They are the ones who picked me and trained me, and helped inspire in me a passion for doing things right, for making something beautiful, for helping people change their lives. They have been my friends all these years, and on this day, they made me feel very special and well celebrated indeed.

There were so many roses that I was able to make TWO arrangements, one for home and one for work! You may view the roses in the extras. Flowers are wonderful, and these are beautiful and smell so nice. But truly, there is no better gift than the simple gift of having old friends.

I included two pictures on this day and so here are two songs to go with them. For the green photo, here is Tom Waits, with All the World Is Green. And for the photo of the flowers, let's include this one, which goes out to my dear old friends, whom I cherish with all my heart. I am so grateful. The flowers are lovely. Thank you for helping me get to where I am now; what a wonderful ride it's been. Thank you for being my friends. The song: Andrew Gold, Thank You for Being a Friend.