Since we moved into our house six years ago, she has met me on my daily walks through the neighborhood. When I first spied her in the drainage ditch near my house, she shocked me a bit and I asked Ryan if he could see what I was seeing. We had a good laugh and went on our way, but now, all these years later, she's become a fixture in our ordinary days, and I look for her as I round the corner after leaving the park with the boys. They are too young to really see her yet, but in time, I'm sure, she will come to fascinate them. Ryan calls her "Lola" (
She was a show girl), but I like to think of her in more artistic terms, and she reminds me a lot of the
Venus of Willendorf, that ancient symbol of fertility and femininity.
I know that we are not the only ones to appreciate her beauty. Our little city has a very busy parks and recreation department, and any vandalism or criminal mischief is dealt with swiftly. If local pranksters graffiti the parks and sidewalks overnight, rest assured that the damage is quickly removed the next morning. But she remains steadfast, peeking out coyly from her hiding place at the edge of the little creek, and I'm pretty sure she has become more attractive with age, as if her artists, or those who love and care for her, have come back to touch up her makeup from time to time.
She was here before I was, and I love seeing her every day. I hope she will continue to endure for years and years, bringing a little bit of beauty to a quiet city street.
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| The view of Venus on our walks. |
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| A closeup of Venus. |
