It's a late summer day,

the air is sweltering, silent, still --

but you take your almost-one-year-old puppy for a walk anyway,

for she is a tad stir-crazy due to the rain.

Nothing much happens on your walk.

You're a little bored.

Blah, blah, blah,

just another day.

Yet,

when you walk back up your driveway,

you spy

a tree's perfect false eyelash*,

all dolled up and delightful,

winking at you,

and you can't help but grin.

And now you have a little skip in your step.

So you carve the watermelon you bought at the corner stand,

the one where they sell sweet corn by the truckload

and cantaloupes the size of volleyballs.

When it splits open it smells of rain and grass,

and tastes like joy,

and ends up looking like this --

And after wiping off your chin,

and laughing at the pink stain on your shirt,

you settle your tired pup into her favorite chair

and get about your day.

And you grin.

Thinking how it all started with that little wink.

• Photos all by me!