Autumn has come early

Autumn has come early, and it is welcome. 

The minor forest that is home to the office park is starting to color in yellows and oranges.  The small maple by our building has been bright red for a couple weeks now.  The dogwood in the English garden at home started changing about the same time. 

Usually, this doesn't happen until two or three weeks from now; usually the heat breaks - though I have no reason to measure time in this way anymore, I still do - on the third weekend of KCRF.  I used to always pack a cloak and change of socks on that weekend, and I almost always needed them.  Now, two weeks early, I'm in jeans with a sweatshirt hung on my office door that I wore to work this morning, and I'm thinking of an afternoon coffee.

I am an autumn person.  In some strange way it matches my personality.  I look forward to the cool temperatures and moist ground, the somnolent, soon-to-sleep trees shedding their once-green mantles, the slow descent to Winter's dark.  I love walking cemeteries this time of year, and forest paths.  Yes, a trip to Nebraska, even a day-trip, can't be far off. 

Autumn has come early

Autumn has come early, and it is welcome. 

The minor forest that is home to the office park is starting to color in yellows and oranges.  The small maple by our building has been bright red for a couple weeks now.  The dogwood in the English garden at home started changing about the same time. 

Usually, this doesn't happen until two or three weeks from now; usually the heat breaks - though I have no reason to measure time in this way anymore, I still do - on the third weekend of KCRF.  I used to always pack a cloak and change of socks on that weekend, and I almost always needed them.  Now, two weeks early, I'm in jeans with a sweatshirt hung on my office door that I wore to work this morning, and I'm thinking of an afternoon coffee.

I am an autumn person.  In some strange way it matches my personality.  I look forward to the cool temperatures and moist ground, the somnolent, soon-to-sleep trees shedding their once-green mantles, the slow descent to Winter's dark.  I love walking cemeteries this time of year, and forest paths.  Yes, a trip to Nebraska, even a day-trip, can't be far off. 

Quote For The Day

"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly."

You'll see this floating around the internet as words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama, but it's actually from Life's Little Instruction Book. 

Quote For The Day

"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly."

You'll see this floating around the internet as words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama, but it's actually from Life's Little Instruction Book. 

Funny image

With a friendly nod to Jeho'.  Click for the full-size image.

( Snipped for size, safe for work... )

Funny image

With a friendly nod to Jeho'.  Click for the full-size image.

( Snipped for size, safe for work... )

Dear reader,

As you already know, the bathroom where I'm doing all the work (leaky toilet = new floor, approaching Winter = new window) is just on the other side of the wall from the deck.  That of course made the deck an ideal place to put the toilet and interior debris, and when I removed the old window all the debris from that went there too.  Before I could clean all that up (this was Sunday afternoon, remember) it started to rain, and did so for almost forty-eight hours.

Well, reader, we have company coming tomorrow night.  I don't mind being a bathroom down, but I didn't want to present a dirty space to our guests, one of whom has never been here.  We - that is to say, Michelle and I - cleaned the family room, kitchen and deck tonight.

I did the deck myself, and I got to watch the sun set while I worked.  By the time I got outside, the sun was already behind the horizon, but its bright orange and pink and violet affects lit my efforts.  With the cool temperature and waning light, it was quite an extraordinary experience.

My favorite time of day, my favorite time of year.

Warmest regards,

W.

Dear reader,

As you already know, the bathroom where I'm doing all the work (leaky toilet = new floor, approaching Winter = new window) is just on the other side of the wall from the deck.  That of course made the deck an ideal place to put the toilet and interior debris, and when I removed the old window all the debris from that went there too.  Before I could clean all that up (this was Sunday afternoon, remember) it started to rain, and did so for almost forty-eight hours.

Well, reader, we have company coming tomorrow night.  I don't mind being a bathroom down, but I didn't want to present a dirty space to our guests, one of whom has never been here.  We - that is to say, Michelle and I - cleaned the family room, kitchen and deck tonight.

I did the deck myself, and I got to watch the sun set while I worked.  By the time I got outside, the sun was already behind the horizon, but its bright orange and pink and violet affects lit my efforts.  With the cool temperature and waning light, it was quite an extraordinary experience.

My favorite time of day, my favorite time of year.

Warmest regards,

W.