Wildflower Writes

I wanted to share some insight regarding wet cell phones. You see, my phone is now kaput because I just didn’t know what you are supposed to do when your cell phone meets water. Don’t wait three hours to use the restroom just because you’re afraid of little league bathrooms. Don’t put your cell phone in an unzipped jacket pocket. Don’t use the restroom while wearing your jacket when your cell phone is in your jacket pocket. Have quick reflexes when your phone falls out of your jacket pocket and drops toward the toilet. Do remove the phone from the water or liquid immediately. Do not rinse off the phone because it is icky from toilet water. Do remove the battery immediately. Do not use a hair dryer set on the highest temperature to evaporate the water from your cell phone. Turns out heat is as bad as water for cell phones. Do wipe off as much water as possible with a soft towel. Do not leave your wet phone on the bathroom sink while you look up “how to save a wet cell phone” on the ...

How does a treeline form? I’m looking at the trees surrounding my kids’ school, and the tops form a fairly smooth line. You would think, with the wide variety of trees, it would be more uneven and choppy at the top. Instead, the line itself rises and falls in a series of shallow undulating waves, with all the trees right next to each other coming up to approximately the same height. I wonder if it has to do with the amount of sunlight available to the leaves. Maybe once the tree grows to the height of the surrounding trees, it no longer has to fight for sunlight. Maybe all the trees were planted at the same time, although my guess is that they were here before the school or the playground. Maybe the slope of the land affects the height of the trees, since it might affect how much water is collected in each place. I’m always thinking. It’s like the little “why” that started when I was a little girl never died. Usually I think about people or relationships or problems. Someti...

Bright blank computer screen Empty, used-up head Vacated for vacation Should be tucked in bed Full, bloated belly Too much Italian for me Need room for dessert Wasn’t meant to be Not jet lag but van lag One hundred forty-six miles A measly two-hour meeting Rather count ceiling tiles Itchy t-neck sweater Makes me look like a tent Too pretty to trash it Giver may wonder where it went Contacts stuck to eyeballs Need to use some drops Wishing to afford Lasik Then I’d make all the stops Throat dry as a desert Water only six steps away Breath smells like garlic Toothbrush in travel bag today Love everybody with my big heart Love them down to my soles Wish I could give some more Like a job or nice new Rolls Time to call it a night Ready to relax and de-stress Try to let it go without a fight I’m uninspired, I confess

I dragged myself out of bed this morning, with a checklist in mind: fold last load of clothes, check the weather, finalize directions, get reservation confirmation, pack snacks… I’m not good with frustration, especially when I know exactly how I want something done. This morning seemed to be one frustration after another. I did figure out that if I take some meclizine before I travel, I can read in the car and not get car sick. This was a great first for me, allowing me to pore over Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” while my husband drove and my kids alternated between being hungry, thirsty, and bored. As I read, I had this vague notion of missing out on the landscape and landmarks we drove by, but was too engrossed in the rise and fall of Sesame Street to care. It was around Decatur, Indiana, that I had to finally put my book down. There was a restaurant that resembled a railway car. An insurance business was housed in a large white castle. An auto repair shop was painted a brill...