{"id":4930,"date":"2011-09-03T08:33:23","date_gmt":"2011-09-03T12:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/?p=4930"},"modified":"2011-09-05T17:24:00","modified_gmt":"2011-09-05T21:24:00","slug":"serenity-above-the-fray-late-summer-grasses-at-union-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/?p=4930","title":{"rendered":"Serenity Above the Fray: Late Summer Grasses at Union Center"},"content":{"rendered":"

Union Center Introduction<\/a><\/p>\n

Summer’s near its end at Union Center.\u00a0 The riotous colors of spring with their attendant hustle-bustle are a dim memory.\u00a0 Still, this neighborhood is hardly less vibrant.\u00a0 Its intensity, its residents’ joy in life shows itself differently, unexpectedly.\u00a0 Take a walk with me and meet our grasses, who somehow know how to bend in the fiercest breeze, the intensest of onslaughts, yet float right back up, tall and cool.<\/p>\n

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Community Minded<\/p><\/div>\n

All grass is group grass.\u00a0 Tight knit grass communities are famous for standing firm together, come what may, a unified front to face the world.\u00a0 This group, however, takes community to a new level.\u00a0 You find them in crowds, always bunches of them together, swaying, bending, beautifully bobbing their fuzzy seed heads from side to side.\u00a0 Why we love these folks so much is that they bring good cheer, a hearty bonhomie to whatever they do.\u00a0 We’re always glad when they’re around.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

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The flair factor<\/p><\/div>\n

Don’t say groups can’t flaunt a daring, cutting-edge fashion sense.\u00a0 They can and these grasses do.\u00a0 For most people, we’re lucky to step out the door each day even moderately put together.\u00a0 This savvy gang manages it, revels in it everyday.\u00a0 They can’t help but set out, standing in our midst looking oh so marvelous.\u00a0 Sure, they’re a little aloof but who cares?\u00a0 Being with them is like walking in Rome: inspiring beauty all around.<\/p>\n

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Chaos in context<\/p><\/div>\n

I know, I know, I said our summer grasses are serene.\u00a0 They are, with this notable exception.\u00a0 The raucous Ponytail Pandemonium shakes and shimmies and slides to a beat all its own.\u00a0 Their frayed heads, our frayed nerves, at times, feed each other to distraction until we take a break or, as happens more often, get in their groove.\u00a0 The Ponytails remind the sometimes staid Union Centerites (and guests) to abandon the buttoned-down propriety and live a little.\u00a0 They drive us crazy at times but we wouldn’t want to be without them.<\/p>\n

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Hoary wise<\/p><\/div>\n

But for the trees, there are no neighbors in Union Center, in any season bar none, who stand taller than these noble grasses.\u00a0 Their stature matches our respect for them.\u00a0 We literally and figuratively look up to these calm and patient dispensers of wisdom.\u00a0 Don’t ask how they know what they know: somehow they just do.\u00a0 These grandmas and grandpas of the neighborhood take the long view, rise above noise and confusion, put this sometimes wacky world in perspective.\u00a0 We don’t know what we’d do without them.<\/p>\n

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The minimalist faction<\/p><\/div>\n

I like lush but that’s just me.\u00a0 Some (we’ve nick-named them The Euros…I’m not sure why…) like their environs, their life, spare and sparse.\u00a0 Simplicity is their byword.\u00a0 Cutting out complexity is their North Star.\u00a0 But don’t be fooled.\u00a0 Simple doesn’t have to be boring or unattractive.\u00a0 These folks carry themselves with a basic elegance that adds a special something to the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

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Monkeyin' around<\/p><\/div>\n

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, now.\u00a0 The denizens and guests of Union Center can get pretty serious pretty fast.\u00a0 Philosophical discussions and debates on just about anything, even religion and politics, can go from 0 to 60 in about 8 seconds.\u00a0 That’s why the Monkey Grass Gang is great to have around.\u00a0 Short in stature but long in humor, these jokesters pull pranks at all the right (and some of the wrong, but really who cares?) moments.\u00a0 When tempers begin to flair or someone pontificates a little lengthily, count on these fun and funny monkeys to strategically pull some stunt, let rip a wisecrack or worse, make a pun.\u00a0 Their antics make us laugh and remind us not to take ourselves so seriously.<\/p>\n

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Guard Grass<\/p><\/div>\n

I almost didn’t include these guys.\u00a0 So first, bottom line, the neighbors like them.\u00a0 They really do, even though this family, the Guard Grass, are the self-appointed minders of the neighborhood.\u00a0 Focused almost obsessively on security, they make sure everyone is safe and sound.\u00a0 Many in Union Center get a little tired of their single-minded quest.\u00a0 Most here don’t mind and in fact welcome a little danger.\u00a0 Still, for the 49 times their “helpful” reminders irritate, the 50th time might save a life.\u00a0 For their commitment, their own brand of community-mindedness, we’re grateful.<\/p>\n

Thanks for dropping by.\u00a0 Always glad to take you on a stroll of the neighborhood I’ve grown to love so much.\u00a0 Don’t be a stranger.\u00a0 Come back soon.<\/p>\n

More Summer Grass Photos<\/a><\/p>\n

Union Center Series<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Union Center Introduction Summer’s near its end at Union Center.\u00a0 The riotous colors of spring with their attendant hustle-bustle are a dim memory.\u00a0 Still, this neighborhood is hardly less vibrant.\u00a0 Its intensity, its residents’ joy in life shows itself differently, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[498],"tags":[749,746,751,747,748,750],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4930"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4930"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4954,"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4930\/revisions\/4954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.thelifeliterary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}