LA DOLCE VITA
Well, kind of. I took this at the recent opening reception of my friend Meri Adelman's show at JMS gallery. This gilded young lady is one of the sculptures complementing Meri's trenchant charcoal drawings. Made a beautiful contrast, and that's what life is all about, right? That and a little laugh from time to time. Meri knows this all too well, as she put a portrait of me in the show under the title "Lorenzetti Downs". I wasn't sure if she was comparing me or herself to Lorenzetti, but in any case it sounds better than Lorenzetti Miller I suppose!

SILKY
My friend Eliza's dog is named Einstein. I don't believe he was named for his unusually prodigious brainpower but for his masses of silky, flyaway hair. Although there is a certain patient intelligence in his eyes: "If I hold still long enough maybe they will give me a liver treat!"

SPARKLER
On a hot night.
Oh, the fizzling joy!

INGOING AND OUTGOING
We were visiting Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington, and this lovely lady was in the role of Martha Washington. She was friendly and charming and didn't miss a beat even when Henry dropped himself down right next to her. He was interested in her voluminous skirts (and he also enjoys patting plump people, probably for the reverberation sensation) but she couldn't have been nicer about it. She didn't break character for one second and continued to chatter away in the most friendly and agreeable manner imaginable. I wanted to take her home with us!

YELLOW PETALS
on my mother-in-law's dwarf sunflower. This particular shade screams "Summer" to me. Cadmium with a hint of green beneath, as though you can see the sap coursing through its veins.

CANDID COACHING FACE
"You're doing great!" My brother-in-law Charlie Rose keeps the kids motivated during Pool Football. And due to his excellent coaching technique they won the Backyard World Championship. (Of course, there was no actual opposing team.)

ROCKETS ON HIGH
Paul and the two boys could not resist setting off a couple of illicit bottle rockets in the street this evening. Henry, of course, huddled inside, cowed by the cacophony of the local fireworks display in a nearby park. Ah the glorious Fourth! There is nothing quite like fireworks, despite their fleeting nature and the ever ever-present whiff of danger and sulphur. It is a shame we don't have the tradition of fireworks at Christmas or Hannukah. They are festivals of light after all. And it gets dark so blessedly early then too so no hanging around endlessly and keeping the little guys up way past their bedtimes! Although I guess that is all part of the fun, really.

PARALLEL
I noticed these very tiny wild bird cherries were growing in parallel formation. It was interesting to observe all stages of ripeness on a branch at the same time, too, from little green nubs to drooping withered black blobs.

USED VIOLINS
The one that has been used the most is actually by far the more valuable. In the odd way of violins, who has used it can add to its perceived worth. This illustrious Iizuka 3/4 was just a brief loaner for P. It had a wonderful sound: deep and rich and sweet like chocolate syrup. We gave it back reluctantly, and with careful hands. Then it was back to the "thin maple syrup" violin!

HIDE AND SEEK
with guinea hen. Taking a family bike ride today H. suddenly called out, "Look! A wild turkey!" We braked and crept closer, finally identifying it as guinea hen. NOT native to the area. Another woman pulled up and we both said to each other at the same time, "Guinea hens are great at eating ticks!" Then giggled at our dumb like-mindedness. How often does that happen with a total stranger?