Expletives Would Fly

As I sort through the top shelf of my fridge I discover tucked into a back corner one of my fave hot weather bevies. Four dark cans of liquid gold. Mined in Dublin Ireland by Guinness & Co. and squirreled away months ago in anticipation of a visit from my friend Rob. Now Rob and I met a handful of years back while I was buying and selling trees, boulders and such for various landscape projects. He is easily the most knowledgeable person I know in the area of horticulture.

The friendship was an easy one and soon Rob began to drop by whenever he was passing through. I would be working somewhere in the backyard and could hear him as he struggled blindly with our impossible gate latch all the while cursing unabashedly. The expletives would fly from his mouth like clay pigeons on a target range. The early days would leave me cringing but I've come to realize it's all part of the package.

Our visits are truly a laugh. But the ritual really begins after we both have sat with our perfectly chilled glasses brimming with the foamy brew. Now if I had to count I probably drink only about a half dozen beer all summer and I could easily drink more and at anytime but it's in combination with the visit that makes this particular beer so memorable.

It's like watching a scheduled movie on television even though you have the same film on DVD. That's how it is when Rob shows up. I never think twice about dropping my work to indulge in his company.

This pic shows the view going into our garden gate. The trumpet vine actually originates from next door but provides a great show for Jewel and I every year. It's not unusual to see a local Hummingbird flitting about but I've yet to capture it on camera.