Off-season

We are staying in Bloomington with some of my favorite people in the entire world - Ann Marie and Jim. This amazing couple took me under their wings when I was in college, informally mentoring me in more ways than they will ever know. Just cooking dinner and letting me come to their charming place once in a while was a treat to a college student. They have a barn and a pond just across the road from a field where cattle graze and it was always a nice retreat place for me. In the summer, I know these plants would be in full bloom and beauty, but I today found an odd sort of charm with them lined up like this near the bird feeder and with the barn in the background.

We had a wonderful time with them last night and some time with them today, between time with Vera, Teri, and Ann Carney, but it will never be enough. I could spend a month with them and still have plenty to talk about and more wisdom to gain.