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I am a regular visitor to a local park in Tempe know as Kiwanis Park. It features baseball diamonds, basketball courts, a wave pool, walking paths and playgrounds, but the attraction that gets my attention most is the beautiful lake. It supports fishing year round and is regularly stocked.

It’s not just fishermen, however, who take advantage of the bounty. Hawks, egrets and Heron’s frequent it’s shores and are always looking for a meal. One morning, I arrived in time to see a crane fish a Koi out of the water for breakfast. It held it up for all to see, including its feathery brethren, before managing to swallow it whole.

Outside the frame of this picture (which I took with a cell phone) was a 2 legged human fisherman who seemed a little depressed that his competition was better at it than he!

The month of November has been very exciting! I had two launch events at local libraries (Tempe and Desert Foothills), and introduced my books at the Thumb Butte Book Festival in Prescott, Arizona. I made new friends who, I trust, will become fans, and had a great time meeting people and signing books.

When I first started writing, I had no idea where it might lead or what subjects I might explore. The process has been long and, at times, frustrating, but I found a way to take the issues of our day and incorporate them into my writings. “Not on My Watch” is based on some news articles I read concerning Medicare fraud at large institutions, including hospitals, clinics, and physician’s offices. It’s sad when a handful of folks take advantage of the system: it hurts all of us in the long rung.

If you’d like to learn more, click this link for an interview I gave on KJZZ to discuss the book further. Better yet, order your own copy by clicking the link on the first page of this website, or go to my Author’s Page at Amazon!

https://kjzz.org/content/1727397/word-s6e4-something-thrilling-comes-way-honoring-black-poetry-day

https://author.amazon.com/profile

Last week, we took a trip to La-La-Land, otherwise known as Hollywood, where we got to see the Broadway Production of ‘My Fair Lady’ at the infamous Dolby Theatre, located next to Graumans Chinese theatre. It was a birthday present for Lisa on her 60th, but due to the pandemic, it was postponed to October 2021.

The singing was fabulous, as was the acting and costumes. It was very much like the movie from the 60’s, and we would recommend it anyone who loves musicals. It is scheduled to come to Gammage in Tempe, as is ‘Oklahoma’ in the fall next year. (Yes, we already have our tickets!

I know that Hamilton is the rage now, and many wonderful plays and musicals have been produced in the last 10-20 years, but we’re drawn to the old favorites.

What’s yours? Let me know and I’ll put your name in for a drawing for a copy of ‘Not on My Watch.’

We were on a dinner cruise recently in San Francisco and had the occasion to take a dinner cruise on the bay. We had a wonderful time as there was great food, wonderful music for dancing, and a clear, almost cloudless night. As we passed beneath the Bay Bridge, I went topside and was able to get some interesting pictures. This one was from the Oakland side of the bay, looking back at the San Francisco skyline. It was an impressive sight and I’m glad I was able to snap this one. When we returned to Arizona, I sat down and wrote the following poem about it. Being from NY, I have always been fascinated by the nightlights (and night life) of the big city. I hope you enjoy my cruise down memory.

I grew up in New York City

but never realized

how much

I missed the lights.

Manhattan, Broadway, the Brooklyn Bridge

are dazzling by air and sea.

Neon is the perfect pasta

for the eyes.

No matter how long you stare

or how often,

you’re only full

until next time,

always hungry for

more.

In California,

a bridge joins San Francisco

to Oakland.

Mighty buildings emblazon the night sky

and rival the milky way.

Headlights dance on the deck

and on the streets

as people head home

or to dinner

or the game.

East coast or west,

I can’t resist the electricity

of the city.

The signs of life,

civilization,

culture and society.

Don’t get me wrong:

I love the fields and streams and forests

that stretch between them:

the oceans that contain them,

the islands and harbors that define them.

A quiet walk amongst the orchards

or the redwoods

is the balm that heals my spirit.

But oh, that lust to reach the heavens

and tame the wild,

to stretch the intellect

and explore the realm of creativity

reminds me we are more

than protozoans on a petri dish:

we are photovoltaic engines

of invention.

So thank you, Frank,

for making it there,

in the Big Apple.

And bless you, Tony Bennett,

for your

city by the bay.