August 23 – 29, 2016

I’m settled at Area-81 as much as chaos, and curiosity can settle. A pattern developed and feels good so far. Although it is not uncommon for me to approach something new with an adapt, overcome, improve, and change mindset; I’ve set parameters for this project to push that even more than before.

This weekend I’m home, sitting now on the back patio watching the leaves fall at a forty-five degree angle from the trees that makes it appear there was a memo that went out to give them all the coordinates and scheduled time to fall. A humming bird holds its place in the wind less than three feet away. I love to hear the vibration of their wings. Beautiful, how part of them can be moving so fast while they appear suspended in mid-air.

Now the wind chimes are still and the leaves are gone.

My lemon tree is doing well. The canopy regrew through the summer. There is a branch that reaches over another and I have considered wiring it. I have never wired trees; something about it felt – intrusive – almost unkind to force my will on its growth.

Even now, as I consider it, I struggle with the idea. Below is a picture that shows the branch under consideration. The tree has grown, wild as it were, and is fairly even on all sides. These two limbs balance the back side, and if I wire the new one in an almost north position (calling the top of the picture north) the tree will be almost perfectly balanced.

I tried a gentle approach this summer, placing a lantern between the two branches to correct the overlap. There doesn’t appear to be any damage to the tree from this and it allows the branch to maintain its flexibility as it grows.

My decision for now is . . . they are united and at this point to wire it away would feel like an unnecessary strain on branches that will forever be connected and growing in a similar direction.

Sorry for the delay in posting the Sudoku Puzzle 8 Answers. I usually have it up by lunch on Monday. However, before midnight works too. I hope everyone had a great weekend.