Above: Helmut Albrecht Taylor, October 30, 2015
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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Good night, sweet prince:
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
–William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act V, Scene II, Lines 370 and 371
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Below: Helmut Albrecht Taylor, October 23, 2015
Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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Above: Leslie Catherine Taylor (2014-2015), January 1, 2015
Photograph by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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To all the cats I have mourned–
Jean-Luc, Harry, Charlemagne,
Caesar, Duncan Gray, and Leslie Catherine–
whose lives enriched mine, and
whose lives I improved likewise–
You were my beloved children;
I know not what my life would have been
without your exquisite presence,
but I do know that your absence
has left me bereft of your graces.
Our time together was too brief,
and your parting cause for grief.
You were ministers of grace–
agents of God’s mercies–
your mere presence sufficed
when I needed to see a friendly face.
Your purring made me feel better
when I had fallen ill,
and your soft fur helped me
the grace of God concretely to see.
We dwell apart for now,
but I hope to reunite with you eventually.
May Heaven’s animal shelter
be to your liking, better than Earth,
and may we spend timeless afterlife
together in joy, liberated from the strife
and pain this side of Heaven.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 COMMON ERA
Above: Flowers Near Ben Burton Park, May 15, 2015
Source of All Images = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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There is a clearing to one side of Ben Burton Park and its adjacent woods on one side of the Middle Oconee River. This clearing, which also functions as a route to the park, contains, among other things, many flowers.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 15, 2015 COMMON ERA
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Above: A Wooded Trail Near Ben Burton Park, May 15, 2015
Source of All Images = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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There is, fortunately, no shortage of wooded trails near Ben Burton Park.
Here is one approach to the part of Middle Oconee River close to Ben Burton Park. This route entails stepping over or walking around some large, fallen trees, however, so it might not be to the liking of some people. I know other routes, however.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 15, 2015 COMMON ERA
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Above: A Wooded Trail Near Ben Burton Park, May 15, 2015
Source of All Images = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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I have walked in and near Ben Burton Park since 2007, when I moved to the area. The trails have become familiar to me. They have also proven to be sanctuaries for me. This was especially true a few years ago, when I wanted to avoid a certain neighbor, who, mercifully (and against his will), moved away. He was disturbing the communal peace, however. I found peace in the woods.
One must, for the sake of safety, follow this trail, not walking off the cliff and falling to the trail below.
I take comfort, however, in the fact that, if the Middle Oconee River ever floods severely, nature has provided ways to prevent the water from reaching my front door, which is at the top of the hill one descends to reach the river and the park.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 15, 2015 COMMON ERA
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Above: A Tree Near the Middle Oconee River, May 15, 2015
Source of All Images = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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A tree in Ben Burton Park fell over into a second tree.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 15, 2015 COMMON ERA
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Above: A Turtle on a Rock in the Middle Oconee River, May 15, 2015
Source of All Images = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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The Middle Oconee River is home to a population of turtles. I saw one resident today.
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One can, of course, enjoy looking at the river itself.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 15, 2015 COMMON ERA
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