Sunday visiting

we visited my in-laws today -

a highway drive made lovely

by the orange, yellow, and red leaves

as i marked off

the familiar traffic patterns,

the towns and a city,

the now-closed convenience store where, miraculously,

they still stock the Independent

in front, behind the taqueria truck

painted blue with the name Mariposa

lettered on its side.

Samuel and Grandmama figure out how to "like" and comment, then "like" your own comment.

we brought pints of eastern-style coleslaw, barbeque, hushpuppies.  i made two pecan pies the night before (my mother-in-law's recipe) and brought those, as well.  we ate...and talked about the kinds of things middle-aged children and their parents sometimes find themselves talking about.

Joseph

 after which, i took myself and my camera outside.

prowling around with an objective familiarity

allowed of a long-term in-law.

my father-in-law's father's last car.

 

Lawrence, Geneva, & Mike

Joseph, Lawrence, Geneva, & Samuel

 i've always admired the large maple along their driveway,

a beautiful canopy of yellow in this season.

Geneva's chrysanthemums, planted just after her mother died.

 we always have to leave too soon,

following the highway back,

ticking off the miles

between their house and ours.