A.G.E's Joint

The sky was milky with streaks of silver. The weather said the storm risk at 60% with high humidity and temps in the low 90’s. The bacon is frying and coffee is made. Yeah, I still want to do this. My idea of summertime fun and play involves sweat and sights. I quickly eat breakfast and head out. It’s not every day I go to the southside without the wife. Cochran Mill Park is an 800 acre plot of creeks and waterfalls 20 miles southwest of Atlanta. It has been praised for it’s beauty by the Atlanta hiking community. This past weekend, I got the chance to enjoy it. Inside the park is a forest that is fairly old, consisting of 75 to 100 year old beech and sweet-gum trees, with a few larger oaks scattered here and there. The understory is mostly wild azaleas, and fast growing vines, with lots of poison ivy. So going off-trail is not recommended. Main Falls There are 18 miles of well maintained trails scattered over four loops. For my first trip, I chose the two shorter

Pound of sugar Pound of flour Dozen eggs A little vanilla Maybe a twist of lemon Candied peaches on top A bridge of sighs As it is served Hoping for a new balance In the nap that follows. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic- Michelle King Pic Trevor Clower Pic guesses- Cable locks, unplugged, Marley Mon,

Sun low on the moss covered bank. Line drifting in the wind. Spirit subdued Fire burns Toes slap cool water Change in the air. Catch sizzling Translucent smoke Ups and down s Light fades. Her partner gone. Vespers, finishing grace Sense of calm surrounds Fields fallow Epiphany of life Winter coming The hope of the grave. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Topic- Kim Herndon Pic- Tyler Myrth Pic Guesses-Waterfall, Double Rainbow, colors, victory, home, supplication, Rolling pond,

“Some stories are best remained untold.” It was fitting it was inscribed on the marker after all that had happened. It had been the last thing she said to me, almost thirty years ago. Sweat stings my eyes. I always feel out of place here. It had only been a one night stand...that spilled out over a weekend. Never had anything like before or since. It had been glorious. I can’t even remember if we wore clothes at all. Bikini lines contrasted with my monochrome paste as we danced. Gardenia and musk mixed with her sun roughened skin as she moved. Hands drifting down my cheek and across my lips, tasting what she offered. We were born to be wild , sharing stories of pain and abandonment as we made love on the lake, in the tent, and in the woods. Each tale burned away with our energy and she became more beautiful. Spent, she slept with her ponytail splayed across my chest. When we woke, I gently pulled to bring her close as we fed each other breakfast. When it was all over, I walk