Tucked in a shaded corner near the Strawberry Fields sign, a mass of Michaelmas daisies bloomed. Long white petals, varying in number from 6 to 9, radiated from a small yellow center. Someone played \u201cImagine\u201d at the Imagine Mosaic.<\/p>\n
Here is the chestnut report: withered leaves cover the ground; more than half the leaves still on the tree are blighted. The golf ball sized nuts are also browning. I crushed one underfoot to find the nut still unformed, although the meat inside was moist and green, suitable, I\u2019d think, for the most discriminating squirrel.<\/p>\n
Grass grew a foot high around the rhododendra, and had started to bolt.<\/p>\n
The cowboy crooner was there again. As I walked by he called for volunteers to dance to his next number, the beautiful \u201cQuando, Quando, Quando.\u201d I could have told him it wasn\u2019t so easy to get people to dance.<\/p>\n
Maggie the dog stopped to visit. The black scotch terrier sitting at my feet, seemingly absorbed in my music, made a wonderful photo op. After some time, Marcel scooped the dog up and whisked her away, after which I played for the next hour pretty much to myself.<\/p>\n
Just when I thought that this would be the day, the day I took in nothing, an old woman fumbled in her change purse. \u201cI\u2019m sorry it\u2019s not more,\u201d she said, putting 8 dimes into my case. \u201cYou were so nice to me.\u201d I had no idea what she meant by that; perhaps she\u2019d seen me before and we\u2019d exchanged pleasantries.<\/p>\n
A 20-something on a bike braked in front of me. He reached into one pocket, then another. \u201cSorry, mate, all I have is Irish money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem,\u201d I said. \u201cNext time you\u2019re at the pub, have a drink for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
A teenaged boy gave me a quarter.<\/p>\n
A family stopped to hear me play. \u201cHave you got time for a hula today?\u201d The young daughter danced beautifully to \u201cThe Hukilau Song.\u201d \u201cWhere are you from?\u201d I asked her between verses.<\/p>\n
\u201cHolland.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHolland? Wow, I know Holland, what city?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked puzzled. \u201cHolland,\u201d she repeated.<\/p>\n
I looked toward the parents. \u201cHolland, Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPennsylvania, ok,\u201d I said, and launched into the second verse. At the end of the dance, they walked off. The day\u2019s total came to $1.05, my worst day ever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"