As is my custom I snapped some photos at Anna, Illinois this morning. Jonathon recommended Kiki’s Coffeehouse for a good cup of joe! He was so right. Did you ever enter a business establishment and feel the kind atmosphere? That is Kiki’s! Great coffee and I noticed an area where apparently live music is performed. They also have wonderful little chairs for children and coloring books. There were several gnomes in the front of the store and when I saw them I was hooked…I like gnomes!

Anna is the largest town in Union County.

I am well into my second year of photographing the little towns and villages and hamlets of Southern Illinois. Everywhere I go I meet friendly people with a ready smile and hard work as their history.

As I was snapping these photos I wondered what the people were thinking who erected these old buildings. When they were building them they were at the zenith of their powers and the shining buildings were a testament to the strength and determination of the folks who built them. Old churches intrigue me. There is so much handiwork and craftsmanship in the churches of Little Egypt. Faith can be found in the intricacies of the stonework and the bell towers.

I have lived in three separate towns in Southern Illinois. Each had its own personality. Just a few miles separating one town from another can be like entering another world…

I sit here on the Writing Porch anxiously awaiting our dear friends Laura and Jim. I remember our many wonderful fellowships together. Jim and I customarily enjoyed a holiday wine at the Mississippi Flyway in the days leading up to Christmas. I swear our friends had the best Christmas decorations that I have ever seen…and multiple Christmas Trees!

Our friends provide a mirror for us as to what we are all going through and our shared struggles. As the great philosopher Forrest Gump’s mother once said…Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to get.

Faith is abstract to me until I see it in my friends and fellow members of the human family. Often I see hope in the eyes of a child and peace in the eyes of the aged.

The dynamic of friends brings a quickening of spirit and a surety of purpose.

My best friends Steve and Susie in Chicago loved to put on a Marionette Show for me and my peers. Steve and Susie were a bit older than I. The Marionettes fascinated me and I often was caught up in the peculiar puppet world of actors on strings. Thunderbirds was a popular television show in 1965 and 66. All of the performers were marionettes. I found a couple of marionettes at the Cricket And Red Brick Antique Mall on Friday. Suddenly I was transported to Sauk Village Steve and Susie’s house and the Marionettee Show. Susie was my girlfriend…in my mind…and they were taking time to perform a show that delighted their audience…was friendship.

I saw my good friend Carlyn at the Antique Store yesterday and she told me it was the last day before school started. I asked how this could be and she agreed. Time flies when you are having fun. Southern Illinois University is on a two-week break and then comes Fall Semester. The beginning of the Fall Semester was a keynote time for me during my over 32-year career at Southern. The start of the academic year is a renewal of the marvelous opportunities that our University brings. I could imagine the word ‘Opportunity’ being emblazoned over every entrance to the campus.

I sat and watched my favorite pond that is on campus earlier today. The peaceful colors and serene atmosphere reminded me of how lovely summer is. Life is simply popping up all over and the seeming freedom of want and struggle has gone to another place. We are indeed part of the animal family and with that distinction, we are sensitive to temperature and climate. Summer gives us the freedom of the fear of freezing if we have no shelter. Although we are primarily an industrialized society… not so long ago we were an agrarian society and the hope of food when you are hungry was as close as your hand could reach. In fact in days gone by the coming of fall and then winter was a bit fearful for so many who lacked the proper shelter and clothing.

So it is today. Many of our human families suffer from the lack of the necessities of life. When I was growing up in the 60s my elders would often ruminate that a person could do without air conditioning but that they could not do without heat. Air conditioning was considered a luxury that was enjoyed by the well-endowed financially. Now it has become a necessity of living in many parts of our earth.

Global Warming produces torrential rain…and that has been true in our neck of the woods. We are somewhat like our uncle Nero…fiddle we do while our home burns…

The rain is falling in buckets or as the British would say it is ‘pissing down.’ Now I love rain but many find it depressing when the sun does not shine and the clouds weep. I love to share blogs that are uplifting and positive. The primary reason for this passion is that I read so many blogs that illustrate how people are suffering. ‘It’ My Party,’… And I’ll Cry If I Want To,’ sung by Leslie Gore is an apt description of how so many feel. We were not all born with a silver spoon in our mouths and if we had one…it was horribly tarnished.

There are a plethora of reasons for feeling sad. Poor health domestic strife or financial ruin are among the chief causes. We may be attempting to be what others think we should be while the secret is locked up in the expectations of our clan. Jesus admonished us to take his yoke upon us and learn of him and in turn, we would find rest for our souls. I wonder how that is going to happen. Is Jesus going to come down from Heaven and minister to our needs? Of course, there is prayer…but prayer, when you are hungry and forgotten, is of little comfort if there is no effort by others to reach out to you and your needs.

Living under the watchful eye of Screens is not a solution for loneliness.

‘Neva J. you do not shun me or seem to be afraid of me,’ Abagail observed one day as she was a passenger in the Old 57′.

Abagail was accustomed to being ignored and people averting their eyes when she passed them pulling her shopping cart along the Eldorado sidewalk. She had one eye and the populace had named her One Eye as a mark of derision and a perverse boost to their own fragile egos.

‘You can go anywhere with me Abigal…I love you and you are my friend,’ Neva J. said with a tear in her eye.

‘I was in Vaudeville when I was young…my husband…a doctor…came to watch me perform in my show and fell in love with me,’ Abigail said. ‘Lou would take anyone as a patient and his patients loved him for it,’ Abagail continued. ‘One night a thief broke into our apartment and jumped on Lou with a knife…I wrestled the attacker to the floor and he plunged his knife into my right eye,’ she said matter of factly.

‘Tonight is Christmas Eve and you shall be my honored guest,’ Neva J. told Abagail. ‘We will have Roast Beef and mashed potatoes…I have homemade coffee cake and Merlot,’ Neva J. said with a beaming face!

Who do I know that seems to be unseen? Who has suffered alone?

A cool breeze is wafting through Little Egypt. It is very welcome after the intense heat that we have experienced. Rain is in our forecast…a lot of rain. I love rain but it has become a scary occurrence in our new normal. Flash Flood Warnings are increasingly common.

We humans like to become judges. I wonder why more of us did not stand for an election to the judiciary. We have all of the skills other than the law degree. We are into comparative judgment. We compare others to ourselves. Someone told me one time that they felt it was wrong for our government to help hungry kids as no one had helped them feed their kids. The case in this argument is that the parents should get up off their asses…go to work and feed their kids. But the direct problem is that our country has millions of hungry kids… Should we teach the kids to instruct their parents to get a job?

We have a bit of a false template in examining those who are less fortunate than we are. We are often certain that we rose on the ladder of success by our sweat equity. Seldom do we consider those who helped us along the way. Or we make the executive decision that the homeless must be lazy…or they would not be homeless. We fail to consider that much of the homeless population are the precious souls that we used to provide shelter for while they were treated for their mental illnesses and substance addictions. And…before you tell me that substance abuse is not a valid reason for being homeless…do you drink alcohol or smoke or take a plethora of prescription mood-altering medication?

We see those who are seemingly taken in by a would-be dictator an autocratic leader or a cultish personality…and we wonder how that could possibly happen. Perhaps these people are us and we do not recognize the kinship? Just a few times of being marginalized or not heard or not seen or being forgotten can lead to the path of joining others who seem to care about our welfare.

Straw houses are where we live. Secure we are until the wolf comes to our front door. He announces that he will huff and puff and blow our house down…and we laugh to ourselves as we understand that we have done what needed to be done to be safe…as we sit in the rubble our our home…

‘It was just the beginning of June and now it is August 1st,’ Billy B. bemoaned.

‘You will soon see that life goes by like a weaver’s shuttle…according to the Bible,’ Neva J. responded.

‘The first day of class is August 21,’ Chet remarked.

‘We must make the most of the few days that we have remaining…how about a road trip Neva J. What do you say?’

‘Let us go to Kentucky Lake…remember the fun that we had last August with Marcy and Brock and Jaime and Morgan and Jeb,’ Neva J. enthused!

The Old 57′ was packed to the brim with picnic lunch and Merlot. Billy B. had brought his contraband cigars and was sure that Uncle Brock and Aaron would smoke one or more with him. Jonathon remembered the hilarious card game that they had played and that Uncle Brock was hard to beat.

‘I am looking forward to more volleyball on the beach,’ Aaron said.

‘I can not wait for some Bullet Rye Whiskey to sip while looking out at the placid Lake,’ Billy B. said with a wistful look in his eyes.

As our intrepid explorers pulled up to the Air BNB they found instead an old log cabin. Out stepped Uncle Brock and Aunt Marcy but there was no car to be seen.

‘Welcome Illinois Brooks and friends…I just put the buggy in the barn,’ Brock said with a laugh.

‘What kind of Buggy are you driving…a Ford or a Chevy,’ Neva J. asked?

‘Why…Horse and Buggy Mam,’ Brock said with a wink. ‘It is similar to yours and your horse looks thirsty,’ Uncle continued.

Before the bugging eyes of Billy B. and Neva J. and Jane and Aaron and Jonathon and Chet…where the Old 57′ had been parked was a horse and buggy from the 19th century.

‘I wonder if we should have waited to break out the White Lightning and Rye Whiskey until after we arrived,’ Chet observed.

‘Nevertheless, let us unpack and feed the horse and light up a stogie,’ Billy B. said with a wicked good smile…

‘

I have been visiting Giant City State Park for many years but in the last year almost every day. The trees and plants are plentious and lovely. I have identified almost 200 with an app on my iPhone. There is an abundance of hiking trails that I enjoyed more in my younger years but I relish walking on the plethora of green space that is relatively flat. Of late Jonathon Aaron and MJ, at times, have enjoyed a drink at their lovely little Bar in the Lodge. They make a mean Old Fashioned. The Lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression including MJ’s uncle Merle and his twin brother…and her father…Berl. Their photo along with many others can be found outside the entrance of the Dining Hall.

In years gone by I served on the Employee Advisory Committee of the State Universities Civil Service System Merit Board. We met at all of the Universities around our State and when we met in Southern Illinois we met at Giant City Lodge. My colleagues simply loved Giant City and the Lodge!

Jonathon and I were privileged to talk with Mr. Richard Kelly who along with his son Mike has operated the Lodge since March 1, 1981. Mr. Kelley spoke of his time at the Lodge and how it has grown. He described with the exuberance of an 18-year-old the manner of the good fortune that he has had and his great life. I told him at one point that he reminded me of the old Jimmy Stewart Movie, It’s A Wonderful Life…he agreed with my assessment. After our conversation, I left knowing that I had spoken to a great man with a servant’s heart.

‘Big’ Jim Thompson who was Governor of Illinois from 1977 – 1991. Governor Thompson was Illinois longest-serving Governor. Governor Thompson loved coming to Southern Illinois and he admired the Lodge. Politicians of both political parties photos can be seen aligning the walls of the Lodge. Good food and good drinks at a reasonable price while you are nestled in the magnificent State Park… cause you to forget all of your worries and your cares for a while.

When August comes I begin to think of autumn. It has occurred to me that I spend a lot of time outside between my Woods Walks and the Writing Porch…3 or 4 hours per day. The Woods speaks to me when I take the time to listen. I am closing in on a year of almost daily Woods exploration. Perhaps I am a Woodsman. The Woods are quite different from winter to summer. During the winter I am the Old Man of the Woods while in the summer I am but a visitor among many. I have seen more deer this summer than I observed in all of the other seasons combined.

Fall is my niche. Fall is my freedom. Fall is my joy and happiest time of the year. I think about my family while I meditate on the glories of nature. I think of my brother Brock who broke his ankle in another woods and I was one of the first to see it online. Often my old friend Steve comes to mind and our many adventures that seem like yesterday but indeed have been many years ago. At times I email another old friend Brent and so enjoy our renewed friendship after again…so many years. I reflect on Jeff and Margo and our wonderful visit over Thanksgiving.

Aaliyah joined us for pizza last Sunday. What a delight she is! She is a poet and an artist and she is wise beyond her years. I love Chess…I understand that Aaliyah loves Chess…

Saturday Night Live is one of my favorite television programs. I have been watching it on a regular basis since the 1980s. When I began watching they were beginning their 15th season. There was a funny segment on the show called Deep Thoughts By Jack Handy. I am a fan of deep thoughts. Albert Einstein one of our most renowned physicists developed the Theory of Relativity by thinking. We must not sell short the worthy exercise of thinking…

When we accept what a person or leader tells us is the truth because they say that it is…we are a bit naive. I watched a thoroughly enjoyable Netflix program regarding Cults last night. Cult leaders learn to tell their prospective followers what they want to hear. They research the things to say to us that will move us. Politicians and preachers are notorious for what is called ‘Code Changing’ whereby they say different things to different groups in order to elicit their support. We live in a society where money is the ultimate yardstick…the ultimate ruler…

Who is selling me now…should be the question of the hour. Why is a person saying what they are to me and what response do they hope to engender?

To understand yourself is to understand others.

‘I swear Billy B. this is the hottest day that I can remember,’ Neva J. said as she wiped her brow.

‘If there has been a hotter day the devil has kept it for himself,’ Chet mused.

‘I say that we should go to the Orpheum Theatre and see Lady And The Tramp…it is the first showing this afternoon,’ Jane proclaimed.

‘I did not sleep a wink last night until just before daylight when the thunderstorm started and the temporary cool breeze wafted through the bedroom window,’ Neva J. said.

The Orpheum was so cool it felt cold after coming into it from the 100-degree heat outside. Grandma Askew…who believed that air conditioning was bad for your health…said that when you come into an AC-cooled room after being overheated…you could die of a heart attack. Old Tom died a couple of weeks back and the doctor said that he died of natural causes but his wife Maude insists that it was air conditioning that killed him.

Neva J. fell asleep in the cool theatre. She did not notice when Billy B. and Chet slipped out and walked a hot walk on boiling sidewalks to the Dairy Queen to purchase some elicit Marlboro Cigarettes. As they walked back to the Theatre to cool off they both felt hungry.

‘Let us go to the Town And Country restaurant to get a quick plate of eggs and bacon,’ Billy B. suggested.

‘You do not think that Jane or Neva J. will miss us,’ Chet asked?

‘They were both snoring when we left and as comfortable as those seats are and the cool climate they will sleep throughout the movie,’ Billy B. assured Chet.

‘Who is your cook my good lady…that was the best breakfast that I have ever had even though it is no longer breakfast time,’ Chet said with renewed zeal.

‘Our Cook is out back of the restaurant…he prefers to cook in the heat of the day,’ the waitress said with a slight smile.

‘Your breakfast was to die for…Maestro,’ Chet said.

‘Would you like a second helping…I have prepared too much as many of the folks in Eldorado do not enjoy the heat,’ said the etheral man in the black robe and sporting a wicked grin that showed from his red face…