“Tell Me What is New”

I meant to tell you  I spread

red pepper all around the hole

a mole dug.  Burrowing

 animals can’t stand the smell.

The lavender bushes, unruly

and wild looking, still bloom.

I forgot to mention drawing

with charcoal and fixing 

drawings with skim milk. Now I

wonder if insects will arrive to chew

up my sketches. Did I mention

that we cleaned a plugged sink

and cancelled the plumber’s visit?

Perhaps I missed the chance to tell

you of what I’m reading. At this moment

I am reading a mystery, a noir tale.

Then there’s this week’s parshah portion

and the commentaries I read—

 each one told with the writer’s slant.

I, too, hold a view of Abraham

and the binding of his son. 

And I forgot to tell you of my new 

thermos keeping tea hot for six hours.