This secondhand installment (the second this week) comes courtesy of Shelley, another friend with an affinity for haiku. I asked her to consider contributing to the secondhand project right around the time I first read her book, and she graciously agreed. Shelley’s book, Each Stone, is a beautiful blend of photography and haiku.

To view all secondhand contributions to date, please click here. To toss your own haiku into the ring, click here to find out how.

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This may sound strange, but I’ve been waiting for secondhand haiku that didn’t conform to the 5-7-5 format. Finally, I have one.

Today’s offering comes from SJ, a friend who has a knack for the occasional haiku. Not only does her offering break the monotony of my syllabic tendencies in writing haiku, it also taps into the seasonal nature of traditional haiku.

To check out the other secondhand contributions to date, just click here. If you think you might like to join in, you’d be welcome to send a contribution of your own.

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A couple weeks ago, while visiting my sister, brother-in-law and seven of my favorite nieces and nephews, I was treated to a belated birthday dinner at the Garlic Rose bistro in Madison, New Jersey. It was a guy’s night sort of deal — just my two oldest nephews, my brother-in-law and myself.

The Garlic Rose is byo, so Steve (my brother-in-law) brought a red wine blend along. I have always had a sweet tooth when it comes to wine — gravitating more toward a Riesling or Pinot Grigio than a Merlot or Cabernet. But the blend he brought for the occasion was rather good, even in my novice opinion. I started to think maybe I haven’t given the reds a fair shot, so the other day I was shopping and I decided to stroll into the Wine and Spirits store* adjoining my local supermarket and try to find a decent red blend on my own.

I walked out with two bottles: An A to Z 2005 Night and DAy Oregon red blend (pictured) and a 2007 Red Truck Pinot Noir. Both domestic, but both were also on sale, so I figured the disappointment if I don’t like either one should be negligible.

I sampled the A to Z first, and while it didn’t live up to optimistic visions put in my head by the wine we had with dinner a couple weeks ago, it was drinkable. I suspect it’s a slightly different sort of blend than the one that inspired me to try it. I found a review at winewaves, in case anyone’s interested in that. I think the reviewer liked it a little better than I did, as I suspect my brother-in-law also would.

Nonetheless, I’ll keep trying out the reds from time to time. Maybe I’ll solicit some suggestions from Steve (or any of the other wine-savvy folks I’m lucky to know). Or maybe I’ll just pick the most interesting label I can find.

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I’ve always had a strange fascination with scenes that convey sadness, pain or fear. I’m prone to wondering if the emotion I observe is one I’ve felt or could even comprehend. Sometimes when I get caught up in such a scene, I fear it’s intrusive to look, no matter how public the setting.

This one grew from a memory of a girl I once saw sitting by herself, visibly sobbing, in a mall food court some years ago, but the memory was drawn out by a stunning photo I stumbled across on Flickr (which helped spare the sense of intruding, I suppose).

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