Send Off to Summer

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. โ€“ Winnie the Pooh From this marina, I watch yachts bob gently from eastmost to western horizon [click on video below]. Behind me, muted music bounces beneath a hundred conversations. Before me, green hills and the Allegheny River refresh the wind. Allegheny River.ย  Depending on source, the name means, โ€œbest flowing river of the hillsโ€ or โ€œfine riverโ€ or other lovely names from various First Nations [Algonquin, Lenape, Seneca], who lived along this waterway thousands of years before Columbus left Europe. In 2008, nineteen-year-old,ย Katie Spotzย was the first-known person to swim the 325 miles from Warren, Pennsylvania, into New York State, and past this Fox Chapel Yacht Club. A few miles west, this water joins the Monongahela. The mingling creates the Ohio River that, 981 miles later, becomes the Mississippi. It flows into the Gulf of Mexico that becomes the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, mists becomes clouds that rain, perhaps onto the hills in Warren, Pennsylvania and the river begins again. Theย third Wednesday of August, I enjoyed theย Pittsburgh Business Exchangeโ€™sย annual โ€œSend Off to Summer.”ย  As with that’s summery, I think of Brooke Davis’ words,ย โ€œSo for now I say goodbye to this chapter of my life, and I look forward to what comes next.โ€ Next was a short drive toย Bobโ€™s Garage, a colorful bar twinkling with thousands of little white lights. As folks sing karaoke, I consider attempting Princeโ€™s โ€œU Got The Look.โ€ย  ย ย How much worse could I be? [Okay, a lot.] As the thoughtย  that summer will return after autumn, winter and spring, I wonder about voice lessons. I embrace these anonymous words, โ€œSet your Goals High and always Dream Big. Because youโ€™re only as big as the dreams you dare to Live..โ€ See you next year relaxing by the yachts and, later, at Bobโ€™s Garage [photo above]. Until then, Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. COMMENT. Vivid Journals Record your dreams, hopes, plans and achievements in these beautiful, inspiring notebooks. Details: 6โ€ x 8, spiral notebook 120 pages, ruled on both sides Art printed on front Cover is thick paper stock. Back cover is medium gray Inside front and back covers have pockets for storing extra paper and pens Price: $17 View All Notebooks Thanks for shopping!

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