what started as a normal saturday

today was the day for a long-awaited shopping trip with out-of-state relatives. we shopped all morning at the mall, buying shoes and scarves and kitchen gadgets, then drove to a nearby restaurant for lunch, to sit leisurely and visit and get caught up on each others lives. while we were there, many dark suits began appearing and, before we knew it, they were announcing the president of the united states was coming to the restaurant. the president. the president! and arrive he did. he came over to our table. he shook my hand. he smiled and asked my name. he looked me in the eye and told me we need more teachers doing what i do.

this must be what bieber-fever feels like to a teenager. today, i met the president of the united states.

orionids

up and out early this morning to see if i could view these meteor showers. although i was a little late, i think, i managed to see five faint ones in the predawn sky. bundled cozily in an adirondack chair in the still morning air, drinking coffee, watching the heavens resplendent with stars - not a bad way to start the day.

milkweed in fall

a late afternoon walk around the yard shows the first of the milkweed pods has split. neatly lined up seeds are ready to fly with the next strong wind. the other pods will soon follow suit. i hope it happens when the little girl is here to see.

raking the leaves

there's a little girl in there somewhere, one that moments earlier had raked all those leaves into a huge pile! a great saturday to be outside in the october chill!

in the yard

took a twilight stroll around the perimeter of the yard, noticing differences now that the seasons are shifting. in the compost pile, the tiniest of mum plants is budding and has a single autumn-red blossom.

and who made off with the nuts that were attached to this cluster of acorn caps?

the long way home

this afternoon, on my way to a neighboring town, i wandered the back roads because the day and the surroundings were so beautiful. for the return, i had planned to take the highway, because it's a quick trip. but i found myself again drawn to the splendor of the winding road. i can take the highway later, when the landscape is all barren and gray.