Every evening before sunset it’s time to head out for purified water, toting a jug and coins and a rosary or my Orthodox prayer book in liturgical Greek, to memorize and chant a few new words along the way. It’s an hour a day for one mile there and back, stopping to meet neighbors and admire plants and sky.

In the bright setting sun, here are some miniature Columbines.

At the little Bible church the pastor’s family comes out to greet me. Their splendid purebred hunting dog warns me loud and clear to stay away from her humans. But then we all chat about neighborhood news and of course liturgical Greek. At that their faithful guardian quiets down and drops back to all fours and resumes following her nose toward bushes and birds. They unclip her leash. She trots peacefully into the house.

Calla Lilies in the shade. In the background those tall vivid popsicle blooms are Kniphofia.

Everything but the tail: a lucky shot of a little ginger lightning streak. Kitty comes zooming out each time to give me a good nuzzle and to roll around for his daily reminder of how beautiful and clever he is, then runs off to look for bunnies and squirrels.

Here’s an Orange Ball tree, full of fragrance and bees.

Common Evening Primrose, among Woolly Yarrow. Thanks, Google Search!

At the store, I fill my jug at the purified water machine. The cashiers are on the lookout for the same customer every day at the same time to buy the same item. Some days I pay for the 59 cent refill with exact change including four pennies. Other days I pay 60 cents and get a penny change. Since pennies are now no longer being made by the US Treasury, our daily running joke is that either their side or mine is going home with a collector’s item coin, which will change hands back again on the next trip tomorrow.

Behind this picket fence there is a lush old-fashioned garden. For weeks, there were fragrant little pale-pink Cécil Brüner roses spilling over both sides of the gate. Now there are yellow loosestrife plants and balloon flowers in blue and white. As I stop to take a picture, the gardener comes running outside with greetings and a chat, filling my water bag with flowers to take home.  

Near our street, a delightful young neighbor of faith stops me with good news. She is moving — in to the vacant studio next to mine! It’s reassuring that such a friendly presence is going to live right on the other side of the wall. We’re going to visit as soon as she moves in. We share some balloon flowers to celebrate.

At twilight the robins are singing all along the way. These days the waxing moon is up, on its way to full, with a few early stars. More stars form a line, rising one by one in a jewel trail from the airport south of town.

In the darkness, those Calla Lilies are sleeping.

Bellflowers, hydrangea, and roses from the gracious and giving new over-the-fence acquaintance. Night night!