Forever Studs black diamond Our fingertips grazing water lily

Our fingertips grazing water lily

a grayish purple you call Merlin’s Forest

singing the same lovely notes

We pulled over right before the sun set—in between towns—with our bottles of Chianti to take a dip in the lake and to soak in and the kind of sun that makes you believe in past lives

Forever Studs black diamond Our fingertips grazing water lilyWe take a weekend trip to see the Ladies of Country Cover Night at the honky tonk bar, its wooden panels softly glowing with neon light, square dancing with square jawed cowboys, twirling and sashaying, arcing around each other, laughing into fringed leather vests and soft denim. Later, we camp near the river, the rushing water just more music, echoing over the valley. We share bottles of soda and smoky mezcal, loaves of bread and orange jam,