Post 20/2025 Goshen, IN: Who would ever think of using the word “SASSY” in Wordle? Guilty. I must not have been thinking. I used it today as fourth choice before settling on “TAFFY” in the final turn six. I was rewarded with a “Phew!” Oops-a-daisy on that one. While I didn’t lose the game, I did fall on my face by not giving possibilities proper thought.

The Bot noted that SASSY, “was a risky guess: From this point, you may need some luck to solve the puzzle.” Luck, yes, and a move in skill from 0% for the previous two guesses to 99% for the final one. It’s a pleasure when the Bot says, “Congrats! As humans say, you’ve ‘beaten’ me 5 times in recent Wordles, solving in fewer steps, and tied me 4 times.”

The New York Times Wordle has been a happy diversion from the news I read, see and hear. It and other puzzles, such as connecting characters in Letter Boxed, are among the pleasures of the day. Puzzling out words brings a note of reprieve from the dark, dim, dull, or as Cornwall usage has it, dimpsy, in-betweenness of much of the state of affairs we’re facing at home and around the world.

Grateful for growing things

These are some of the plants we’re tending in our garden beds and containers this year.

Graduation

A bright spot of our week was to attend the celebration party for Conner Spolyer, a great-nephew, who graduated from high school. in Anderson, Indiana. Conner was among the Top 20 Students at AHS and was chosen to give an address from the class as part of the graduation ceremony.

Hatchling shell and potted plants

This week Marty walked with me to the dermatologist’s office, 10 minutes from home. We took a longer walk back. On the way we came across this unmistakable robin’s egg. We walked through several neighborhoods and stopped at the grocery store for a few items.

New life. New beginnings. New cycles of what’s right, and good, and needed, and bursting out, and growing for the universe.

In Dr. Seuss’, Daisy Head Maisy, 8-year-0ld Maisy overcomes the overwhelming burden of fame and fortune. After a daisy grows on her head she finds stardom. But what happens to friends and family?

The Cat in the Hat, the narrator, helps Maisy sort out her dilemma. He persuades her to go home. The daisy goes away, only popping up from time to time. All is settled again. The book helps children of all ages and abilities learn to read and puzzle out misfortune.

Woohoo! To read! To find help in dealing with difficulty. Better than being a star and having untold riches.

Happy planting. Happy graduation celebrations. Happy hatching. Happy reading. Happy puzzling. Happy thinking. Happy Oops-a-daisy.

Peace

-John