Closer to Heaven?

In the Downtown Pittsburgh ghost town that is G-20, there were still a few civilians, clued in and clueless alike, populating the streets.

Police, police cars and security officers were everywhere. Sidewalks were blocked and shops were closed.

And yet! Starbucks in ripped-up Market Square was open. As I walked back to the office with my small skim latte, a passed a tiny old woman walking hesitantly across the Boulevard of the Allies. When I reached the office door, the security guards asked me if I knew where 21 West Park was.

It's not a where, it's a what. It's a bus route. Tiny old woman had asked them, and they, not knowing, sent her along without an answer. I left my latte and wallet in their hands, sprinted after her and brought her back -- turns out she could barely speak -- scribbling to her on her pad that the buses had been rerouted and I would take her to her stop, once I knew where it was.

Well, the guards ushered her into the lobby, I went upstairs, found the route, came back down, explained to her it was up the street only to learn from her hand motions that she expected me to drive her.

Much pointing and gesticulating ensued, including her mouthing that I was crazy. I kept trying to explain that her stop was just up the street but she was having none of it.

Finally I wrote on her pad: "Do you want me to walk you to the bus stop or not?"

She agreed. By the time we had gotten halfway up the block, I pointed out to her where the buses were stopping. She had a flash of recognition, waved me off and trotted ahead.

Hope she figured out the stops for the rest of the weekend.

Anyway tiny old woman. You're welcome.

Sights to see

Earlier this year I posted a list of online sites that are beautifully designed, gorgeous all around and last, but most definitely not least, easy to navigate.

In the course of doing class homework last night, I was introduced to another one, Core77. It skews too young for me but a quick skim really had me interested. I love the idea of industrial design, because I am always looking at things that we use and dreaming up ways I could make them better.

Yet there are other sights to see. The entire world is not online. This morning walking the dogs, I saw a young, antlered buck in a neighbor's front yard. He saw us, the dogs had their noses to the ground and so there we were. I hustled us all along and turned to see him, in the morning sunlight, treading down the street, toward the park. Thank goodness for the lightness of early morning traffic. We consider them pests because they eat our plants, but still, they share the planet with us.

The September sky is another sight to see. The light is starting to turn toward its "opposite of February" slant, that is to say, waning. In February, the same light is "waxing," you can feel when it is on your face that it is young light, growing more vibrant with each day to the brightness we will enjoy in summer.

It was beautiful tonight when I got off the bus. Deep midnight blue scattered with stars and thin silver gray clouds. The only thing February light is missing is the sleepy buzz of September crickets.

Summer night

I love the sounds of late summer.

Nights have been so cool and, oddly, the days seem to be getting shorter much earlier than normal.

Here's what I heard in Bird Park tonight and last night: Two owls, hooting at each other. Drowsy crickets. A blue jay, flapping above in the twilight, singing. Chirps and chatters all around.

Summer gets so quiet as it winds down. In fact, it matches the beginning of the season, quiet. Late June, July and through mid -August are the noisiest times of the season, but living creatures seem to know that as the light changes, the days grow short, as does their time as well.

Is there a human analogy? I think so. We all wind down and make less noise as our seasons on this planet circle to a close. But we pay so little attention to each other in these matters, so that when those near us are winding down, we are distracted, frustrated, rarely present to the moment.

Life is so busy, so stressful. I'm glad I have the chance, everyday, to walk outside and listen to the other creatures of the world going through the circles of their time here.