Candy on a stalk

One day after being here (after being absent for a week), Becky was a no-show again this morning, so Robert and I scrambled to hand-water pots in the mounting heat before leaving for town for lunch with Mom and Cousin Sally.

It was so great to see Sal again -- it's been almost a year -- and her glowing company made up for the venue: the decidedly uninspiring Golden Corral. Both John Gray and my dad had been quite fond of the buffet there, so it still holds at least an emotional draw.

At dessert, when Robert noticed that Mom had piled up M&M's from the dessert bar, he flashed back to Dad's favorite dessert there: old-fashioned corn candy.

At which point I flashed -- to this bromeliad by the summer house. Edible only by eyes.