I most like being around people who are intelligent, articulate, thoughtful, compassionate, and also good listeners. I don’t have much patience with those who are lacking in these qualities. I know, I know, everyone has a good story to tell, and if the listener is patient enough, they will, in hearing this story, feel a stronger sense of connection than otherwise.

I am not patient. It just isn’t an attribute of mine. I am not a gardener, so this analogy is something that I can’t seem to cultivate.

I would just as soon be on my own than spend my time waiting for the all-encompassing narrative.

This may be why we don’t get very many visitors. Some may see my impatience bubbling to the surface and thus give me a wide berth.

Today though, we hit the visitor motherlode.

Pete returned with Bill S; both had been at VCRS sorting books. I cleaned the horse pen and watched them unload manure buckets. Both, I could tell, during the course of the morning, had done some male bonding. They also, I presumed, had a good book haul. My presumption was correct. They said it was an odd mix on the book front. Now

Pete and Becky check out the plants Becky brought

I must figure out what to do with several boxes of math texts, fresh from the Mat-Su School district, but abandoned because there is a new curriculum. Hmmm – I’ll make some calls on Monday morning.

Later in the day, Becky Myrold, the Alaska State Fair gardener, arrived with two flats of annuals and perennials, this in exchange for a truckload of compost. It was a fair trade – the compost is primo, dark, rich, full of young worms.

No, I am not a gardener. But listening to her, I knew that she, who is a gardener, has an innate sense of what it is that plants need. She included two very small trees in the mix. I am going to tend to them.

And this evening, our new neighbors, Sebastian, Bright, and Ignacio came over for pizza. It was a wonderful time. Ignacio is 6 ½. Very smart, very athletic, very curious. He enjoyed checking out the horses and the goats. Shadow, who is still quite young, did scare him with her exuberance. I took him down to the Playground of Higher Learning and he did a combined dog and pony agility course, with both of us improvising. Watching him reminded me of how I attempted to get adults interested in body awareness, by doing the course. They did not have the same level of enthusiasm, so I started to focus exclusively on my own animals.

I appreciated Ignacio’s gentle reminder.

Bright is aptly named. She has a strong narrative style – I just wanted to keep listening to her talk.

And Sebastian – he did my heart good by saying that (in so many words) my dispatches are a cut above the rest.

I would like to have a party and invite all my intelligent, articulate friends. This would truly be the meeting of the minds.

Next: 156. 6/6/21: Tyra and Swamp Thing Converse