Q. and I hadn’t talked in a while, and a chance bit of free time when I phoned led to some good catching-up. I’d been out, six cities in two months, taking a few pictures I’m proud of (and if you know me, you know that’s rare). Back home, I mentioned after a losing season last year, I’d gotten tough two weeks ago and managed to get the yard from six million dandelions down to four. Not four million, just four. He knew where the true pride of this spring was, and said: “It’s interesting how you measure victory these days.”
I hate to admit he’s right. But I wasn’t too worried about the pictures; I’ve taken more than 100,000 of them and I sort of know that now and then something good will come around. But I really thought I had no chance against the dandelions.