Madison in June

Sometimes, in these short and dark February days, when the sky is gray, the sleet and snow fall outside (but not quite enough for cross-country skiing or ice skating), my diet is deficient, and my companions are the books on all sides of me instead of the fresh summer air, I come to this blog just to look at the photo strip at the top of this page. One look at the fruit and vegetable bounty of the farmer's market--the peppers and eggplants and chilies and green beans!--and at the flowers and blue sky of days outside on the Capitol Square and at the beautiful rippling waters of Lake Mendota--with sailboats and live music and bugle calls at sunset--and I'm transported forward in time when my semester will be over, when my toes will once again come out to play, when Mr. Vedder the cat can run around in the backyard to his heart's content, and, this year, when this city I love will be filled with all of the people we love for at least one weekend... And just the imagined thought is enough.