Autumnail Sketches

[mabd]

phalon said:

Hubs removed the trees from the gutter. I wish the squirrels would keep their nuts somewhere else.

Gams, this is true. In fact, it is a fact. Squirrels are strangely dependent on each other. Within 30 minutes or so, the squirrel does not remember where he or she buried what. Not much memory, that's true. But it fits this thread's current mood. It is a wonderful lesson: though squirrels can't remember were they stashed what, nature, God, The Great Pumpkin -- I don't know, who, what or why, but squirrels are really, really good at detecting disturbed soil (even through snow) and so are really, really good at finding buried nuts. The individuals manage to keep their community together. Pretty cool, huh?

Phalon also spaketh this:

But oh! Did anyone see the moon! Bright, and it might as well be full. It makes tonight as gorgeous as the sun made the day.

Indeed. We are having the most intense Hunter's Moon I've seen in years. Somehow I keep seeing it through your garland of bittersweet, a favorite of mine.

And Siren enchanted me with this:

We wrapped up our 3-day Children's Miracle Network radiothon yesterday, broadcasting from our children's hospital. It was an amazing three days, talking with patients and their families. One boy literally had an IV of chemotherapy drugs dripping into his abdomen while we talked. Others stopped by during a hospital visit to see their doctors. We also had some very gratifying success stories from kids who are now perfectly healthy, one who's a college freshman now. OU football coach Bob Stoops coordinated his weekly hospital visit to be part of the radiothon, and said something memorable: "When people talk about 'oh, Stoops must really be feeling the pressure now', or 'the Sooners are under pressure this week', it makes me laugh. If you want to see folks dealing with pressure, visit the patients here, and their families, and the doctors and nurses taking care of them. We know our role, and that our job is to win. But what we do is just a game. What goes on here is really important."

It would be so easy and so wrong to dismiss what he said as cliched boosterism. But its not. Stoops captured an essence I can still recall 11 years after the bombing. I was working 2 SAR dogs. When I went to the building in which we were bed down, all my gear was stowed, someone had set up real dog food/ water bowls, left some milk bones and (bless them) a couple of sets of doggie work boots. All that night, families came into town -- they had driven their tractors and others had followed in their cars.

You have to watch your dogs closely: they simply do not want to stop working. The scouts and 4H kids took it upon themselves to become animal playmates. By breakfast time, I, too, had been adopted. We were all literally shell-shocked. But we were all also like squirrels in a way. Individuals who found ways to keep a community together. There were two moments that I hope never to forget: the night the SAR was over, each state or town draped their flag from the ruins. We, the SAR people, covered the top front with OK flags. It was all we could do to say thank you for what we had learned. (And I'm surely not a flag waver.) The next day, families were allowed onto the grounds. We acted as their escorts: I learned about the ways of honor that day. Brutally beautiful. Each of us (and our dogs) had been given some medal -- all the same. Not one of us kept them -- we gave them to the families. No discussion, it just was. And amid all that it just was, raw, beyond our ability to heal, protect, or even to speak, it was also just good.

Maeve

[xenavirgin]

Well, I'm not sure which part of this thread to respond to, so I guess I'll do both.

First it's just hitting Autumn here in Blighty now. The seasons are sort of out of kilter after the driest spring and hottest July in recorded history. Hyde Park looked like a desert, so joke.
The summer greenery didn't really appear until late August. So we're about a month behind, and the leaves have only just started to turn colours.

So it might be December before the leaves actually fall this year. And it looks set to be a wet winter, which isn't so bad, because that means it shouldn't be too cold.

Now for your moving testament Maeve. Well my hat's off to you for your wonderful work after the Oklahoma bombing, is that right? I remember that incident very well, as my Lady wife and I were actually visiting the states at the time.

All of Jane's family were in shock at this act of terrorism in America. They were a little taken aback with how calmly Jane and I were taking the news. They recognised that we were concerned and sorry about the violence but couldn't quite understand that we, as Londoners were somewhat more experienced with terrorism because of the IRA's activities.

They were dumbfounded with the matter of fact way that we both described our (till that point) personal experiences of terrorism. Jane was actually about 1 mile away from the huge City of London Bomb in the early 90's and had to stay in a pub for 9 hours before being given the all clear to leave the area.

I actually had to give evidence to the police as I had been standing beside the car which contained the bomb that exploded in Ealing, about 2 hours before it went off. Buggers blew up my favourite bookstore.

Its a sad fact that even things like terrorism can become routine things we learn to live with. And ever so quickly forget about when it stops. Hence after the general IRA ceasefires at the beginning of the millenium, we started to relax in London, until 7th and 21st of July last year when we were back to business.

The Underground bombs were incredibly upsetting for me as that hit very close to home. I worked for London Underground as a corporate safety trainer until the end of 2004, so I knew how dangerous and devastating the bombs were. I spent the day frantically trying to contact friends who still worked for LUL, to make sure they were ok. And I went in to offer my services at outer stations to redeploy staff in central London.

I received a wonderful text message from a Station Assistant that I'd trained in safety and evacuation procedures. She was stationed at Liverpool Street and had been involved in the thick of the evacuations. She wanted to let me know that she was ok and wanted to thank me. She said the only reason she kept calm in the situation, was because she could hear my voice taking her through each step of the saftey procedures.

And it was amazing how Londoners reacted, we wouldn't be intimidated, we were back on the Tube and the buses the very next day. We wouldn't let the terrorists win, and at first everyone, and I do mean everyone, was looking out for each other, and actually talking and being pleasant to each other for a long time afterward.

People can be angels as much as, if not more than, they can be devils. In the end, we should always remember and focus on that when ever we can.

So, Maeve Angel, keep up the good work, and little erotes like myself will add our drop on the good side when ever we can.

Hoping that we can all enjoy the sentiment of this ancient Egyptian blessing.

"God be between you and harm in all the empty places you must walk."

XV

[Siren]

Your writing on "keeping a community together" was beautiful, Maeve. What a beautiful post! Thank you for being one of those who undertook the grimmest of tasks, digging through the ruins of the Murrah Building. I can't imagine what that was like. But clearly your spirit and humanity were deepened by it.

And XV, thank you for sharing your experience, as well. The people of London have certainly had an inordinate share of life-changing trauma and tragedy. And I believe they've come out the better for it. *thinking* That doesn't look right, the way it's written, because it seems to make the attacks and trauma sound like positives, which they obviously were not. What I mean is, the people of London are stronger and more resilient as a result of these things, I think. And if you're a bit stoic about it, well you've earned that stoicism.

[Phalon]

I didn't know how to respond to either post; I thought about it, but nothing seemed quite right - not right enough to convey my thoughts anyway.

Thanks Siren. You said it well.

[Siren]

Thank you, Gams.

I enjoyed reading my mom's shopping list today. Why? Because it was a sign of good things to come.

pumpkin
whipping cream
milk
cranberry sauce
cider
red-hots
walnuts
karo syrup
sage
celery
pimiento cheese
broccoli
cheese whiz
cream of mushroom soup
Miracle Whip
potato chips

She's already done the major shopping for Thanksgiving, including the turkey and ham. This must be the "oh, I didn't realize I was out of that" list. And the 2 last items really made me smile. Those are 2 vital ingredients for my supper Thanksgiving night: a cold turkey sandwich in front of the tv, watching football - something I look forward to all year long. One Thanksgiving, my mom was out of Miracle Whip, so my sandwich just wasn't the same. I have checked annually since then, the week before Turkey Day, to make sure there's plenty.

If I could wave a magic wand and make it so, I would have you all around my mom's Thanksgiving table, an absolutely amazing meal. Wouldn't that be fun? All of us talking and laughing and enjoying that splendid food. Then I'd take y'all down to the barn and introduce you to the chickens. Maybe a game of "horse" on the basketball goal on the driveway. Then it would be back to the house for pie and football, with more grazing as the afternoon went on. Would be an awesome day!

[Mini Mia]

That sounds like bliss!

[Phalon]

I've got so much ketchup to do here, and it'll be a Miracle Whip if I get around to it soon. Just a quick stop in to say, "Siren, dang. I read your post yesterday morning, and craved turkey and Miracle Whip sandwiches all day!!!" And mayo I just add I love the stuff - nothing goes better together; it's that zing.

I also love the sound of your Whooshy get-together. Joxie's got the wand, have her wave it a few times. But horse basketball; are you sure we're stable enough for that? Don't stallion your answer, please. Mare I have this dance? Don't say "nay". Less filly, tastes great.

Phalon ~ punning all over the place without much horse-sense.

[Mini Mia]

Ho-cus Po-cus
We're All Out Of Fo-cus.
(Concentrate On Transportation.)

Ab-bra Ca-dab-bra
We're Off To Rub-Dub-Dub-Bra.
(Concentrate On Siren.)

Fit-tle Fat-tle
We're Ready To Do Bat-tle.
(Concentrate On Slowing Down & Landing. [softly])

Pit-ter Pat-ter
We're All Gonna Scat-ter.
(Concentrate On Separate Landing Spots.)

Om-pa Om-pare
We're Finally There!
(Concentrate On The Fun We'll Have!)

[xenavirgin]

Hey kids, I've brought my gramma's butternut squash pie to this shindig! I promise I didn't keep it from Canadian Thanksgiving, I made a fresh one.

Miracle Whip, oh god I miss that!!!! Could you send me a care package? You can't get it over here at all. My mom keeps telling me to put some sugar in my mayo and it's the same thing, but that just ain't the truth.

I'll be waiting for xmas to do a proper turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but I still won't have Miracle Whip, sniff.

Anyway, have a great Turkey Day you kids. Have a drumstick for me.

XV

[Mini Mia]

Does Amazon.com ship overseas? If they do, here ya go!

[Phalon]

Stopping in to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Hope those of us traveling, (we are staying home this year - the first one in a long, long time), have good trips.

Eat safely. Take care.

X-Virgin, there's a vat of Miracle Whip left in the Tavern for you. I'm working on getting a Slurpee machine installed too.

[Siren]

I won't torture XV by waxing poetic about my Thanksgiving sandwich. But I did keep the tradition of eating it.

We had a smaller group than usual for Thanksgiving this year - sister GG and her new hubby went to San Antonio to spend the holiday with his family, and the aunt and uncle that usually join us stayed home to host a son who has been estranged from the family for years. They say it went well, and hope this is a new beginning for their family.

I hope your day was bountiful in family, friends, and food (and football!). ~Siren

[Phalon]

Ah Thanksgiving; we had a good one. It was a beautiful day, a weather anomaly for Thanksgiving. Usually it's snow; last year we had to turn around and head across state to Mom's house the following day instead, the storm was so bad on Thanksgiving day. This year though, (and for the whole weekend thus far), it's been in the sixties.

We're a long way off from winter; December 21st, no? I always think of Thanksgiving as the end of autumn though - probably because of the weather. If using my mind calendar and Thanksgiving is the end of typical autumnal festivities, what a gorgeous way to end it.

I continued my Martha-Stewart-on-Crack decorating scheme, taking in the shellacked gourds, (still rot-free), hollowing a few out to make candle holders, and placing the rest around them, and strewing fall leaves, (paraffined to keep their color and leftover from a display at work), among the whole display. LX and BP helped and we admired our work while Hubs cooked.

Outside, with the fallish stuff gone, I filled my flower boxes with greens: white pine, spruce, American holly and Douglass fir boughs, along with the bittersweet I had twined to the porch railing. And white pine cones - damned sap got on my wool sweater. LX, BP and I admired the boxes while Hubs cooked.

Friday was just as nice outside and we planned on going ice-skating with my friend and her daughter. LX's preteen mouth got in the way, and sorry for ya, you're grounded. Pfft. Who am I kidding? I'm the one grounded; I couldn't wait to get those skates on for the first time this year. But if her preteen mouth was gonna talk back, her preteen ass was gonna be put to work - it was a perfect day for yard work, and the whole family, (even the most grumpiest of preteens at this point), got into finishing up what should have been done a month ago. Where the heck to all these leaves come from. When finished, we sat back and admired our work - even LX.

Then Hubs went inside to heat leftovers.

Was a great holiday; a nice weekend, and hope you all are having the same.

[Phalon]

Still nice outside today, though by the end of the week it's supposed to be in the twenties as our high temperature. Took advantage of the nice weather again, and got the lights up on the porch railings.

Hub's cleaned out my SUB, (sports utility Buick), convinced that it would stay clean for a bit since I'm off work and not hauling my plant treasures home for at least a few months - my last day this year, I had to pack six four foot Preziosa hygrangeas in it - they were getting rid of them, and though I have no idea where I'm gonna plant them, I couldn't pass them up. I would have taken more, but dang, more just wouldn't fit. Anyone want a nice hydrangea for Christmas?

He lubed, aired and performed general maintence on my roller-skis; I shall be lightning quick now. Or at least not squeak.

[Siren]

Ooooo, hydrangeas. Love 'em, I do. I wish they'd mail, Gams, but I doubt you'd find a mailing tube, or a mail carrier, that would accomodate them.

Was thinking of you today, Gams, as I read an article about a growing fitness method: snowshoeing. Have you given this a whirl? Might like it as a break from rollerskiing. Tremendous calorie burner. Use your ski poles, and you'll get the upper body workout, too.

[Phalon]

Preziosa hydrangeas, (Hydrangea serrata 'Preziosa'), are not those typical hydrangea macrophylla - the big leaf, blue-balled, (dang, that sounds like it needs more, no?), hydrangea, Siren. Much, much prettier, in my opinion. More natural looking; I'll never forget the customer - sweet older lady - who told me she wanted a hydrangea with blue flowers to match the blue color of her hair.

Dang, I wish they'd mail.

I've never tried snow-shoeing. I've got a friend who does; he lives on a plot of land perfect for it. It's essential actually, if he wants to get from point A in his yard to point B without getting buried to his waste in snow. But that's when we get snow; we haven't had that much in a few years. He does it for sport too - mainly around the trails at the nursery; those trails get a lot of use in winter - that's where my friend and I cross-country ski too. I'm looking forward to doing some of that.

There is a nature center close by that rents snow shoes. Maybe I'll give it a try this winter.

I started my Christmas shopping today - a major feat for what-til-the-last-minute me.

[fallenangel]

I have yet to do my Christmas shopping. I know... Im going to try this weekend .Wish me luck. I think I may need it .That or a big stick to fight the crowds of people.

[Siren]

Gams, the article said they make special snowshoes especially for fitness walks. If you like it, you might investigate those.

I hope you make it through intact, yinyang. Good luck!

I'm usually much farther along with my Christmas shopping than I am this year. Gotta get busy.

[Phalon]

Whew!!!! Just got in from shoveling the drive and walkways. Or at least enough of them to get to my car, for Hubs to get out of his when he gets home, and to prevent the mailman from breaking his neck. Not rain, sleet, nor snow shall prevent the mail from being delivered, but all three of them overnight, (the snow started this morning), and it makes for a damn treacherous walk up to the porch.

Made a big dent in my Christmas shopping earlier this week. Hoping to continue the trend, and maybe get it all done before the 25th. Started yet, YinYang?

Hubs got my skis down from the garage rafters last night; snow day today though, and I can't get out to play on the trail with the girls home. And they've been playing all day. BP is next door now, in from the cold and eating hopefully a warm lunch. LX is in here with a friend, hopefully eating a warm lunch. It was warm when I fixed it anyway, but that's been an hour ago, and they're still in there yacking. Very little eating getting done, I'm thinking.

And while everyone is occupied, I think I'm going to hibernate for as long as I can under a quilt....which will be all of fifteen minutes, I'm sure.

All this talk of snow, Christmas shopping and such, and when I dehibernate I think it's time for a winter thread. No?

I love winter.

[erco]

75 yesterday and 70 today, here. Somethings not right with this picture. And you know what? The sun is shining! Well, it was a couple of hours ago.

[Siren]

Eeeeeeeee! Great seeing ya, honay!! *big, big, kiss on the head*

Here in Soonerland, we've had a heckuva winter storm - first sleet, then freezing rain, then about 4 inches of snow. Beautiful, but debilitating. Our turnpikes were closed (making all truck stops between here and Texas into parking lots) as were most schools and businesses. A real mess. Made snow ice cream last night. What a treat! It had been way too long. Delicious, but a bit too heavy on the vanilla. *hick*

The goddesses smiled on me, as the turnpikes have opened in time for me to head to Tulsa to watch the Cowgirls and my Sooner gals play tomorrow. Yaaaay! OU meets Tulsa, featuring the formidable Jillian Robbins. I hope my gals don't take Tulsa too lightly, or they might get a rude awakening.

[battleon]

Nice pics phalon..If you don't mind me asking where do you live?


Iknow i said in a previous thread i don't like the seasons changing and i like sunshine all the time but i lied..One thing i miss about the seasons changing ise autumn, fall...Even tnough i 've never expierienced it and only see in in boo's or movies it's my favorite time of the year..I like the show of colors the best followed by the smell....Even though i can just imagine what it would smell like..

[Phalon]

In western Michigan, Battleon. You? No change of seasons; I don't think I'd like that much.

Remind me I said that when I'm FMAO and complaining.

[Phalon]

Ah....it's that time again. There's a chill in the air this morning, and everywhere I turn there are little signs of autumn: the new school year began last week, our summertime friends left for the season, and a lot of the tourists have gone home too, leaving the town quiet again during the week. Bulbs for fall planting arrived at the nursery Friday: the giant alliums, fall-blooming crocus and cholchicum, tulips, scilla, snowdrops, hyacinth, and my favorite - the daffodils.

Though another of my favorites, goldenrod has finished blooming in my garden long ago, fields everywhere are bright yellow now. Trees are just starting to show hints of color - mostly the reds and oranges of maples.

We made our traditional first of the season apple picking excursion yesterday to get the early varieties - Honeycrisp and MacIntosh - though there will be no traditional photos of the traditional event; I learned a digital camera may not withstand the fall onto a gravel road, even if it is in its case. Damn! But we got plenty of apples. There is nothing so crisp, sweet and tart at the same time, as a MacIntosh plucked right from the tree. Mmmmm.

[Siren]

So very glad to see this thread revived. Here's to fall, my favorite season!

[Phalon]

Yesterday was beautiful....the kind of day you wish all days of fall would be: the rain we had overnight quit, and the day started out sunny with a slight breeze; a comfortable seventy degrees and it stayed that way throughout the day.

Kind of gloomy today and much colder; it was supposed to dip into the mid-forties last night, though I don't know if it did....I was under a nice, warm blanket as one should be on a chilly autumn night. Predicted high of only sixty today - perfect for roller-skiing and yard work.

Hopefully, I'll have time for both.

[Phalon]

Ah....a perfect fall night; cool, jacket weather; the girls are both staying at their girlfriend's house for the night - separate houses and the way they've been getting along lately, it's a good thing for them to spend some time apart. Friends just called and we're heading out to met them for a walk downtown, and a nice hot drink, or two to warm us up after the walk.

[Phalon]

We never made it downtown last night. About a block from their house, Hubs found a hunk of ju-ju, (what Xena Sister calls good junk that people put on the side of the road for trash collection) Funny, because we were right at that moment talking about ju-ju, and I guess it meant this particular piece of junk was meant for him, (eye-roll). It's a bathroom cabinet he's going to paint and use in the garage as (another) tool and doo-hickey cabinet. And it has all the mounting hardware!!!! (another) Eye-roll.

LMAO at how excited he was. This from the man who told me to "hurry up and cover my eyes" while we were walking around the neighborhood a few weeks ago. I obliged, thinking he was sheltering me from emotional distraught over seeing an animal that'd been hit in the road, or some other such unsettling sight. After he said I could open them, I asked what it was that he did not want me to see.

"A door. And don't look back! No, no....don't look. Damn."

So we dragged the cabinet back to Xena-Sista's house last night, and hung there inside of walking downtown. Fun. She makes my drinks just the way I like them....one...no, two pots of coffee, nice and strong, laced with just the right amount of Bailey's drank interspersed with intermittent shots of Rootbeer Schnapps. All that coffee and I couldn't get to sleep until after three in the morning. (It's almost that now, and I hope this is not the start of one of those weird sleep patterns I get myself into)

Hubs' new cabinet is now sitting on the garage floor next to my newest door in my door collection until we both get around to doing something with our treasures.

That's how my addiction to old doors started....just one beautiful door I bought at a yard sale. They are all stacked neatly against the garage walls until I figure out what to do with all my beautiful, and some not so beautiful doors. I wonder how many cabinets are now going to pile up in the garage next to them until Hubs decides where to use them.

[Siren]

Congrats on your treasures, Gams. Found some beauties, there. I really enjoyed your post about walking downtown to meet your buddies. Sounded like a very cozy thing to do on a autumn night.

I still haven't made it to our state fair. But I will follow Dr. Phalon's orders, and do just that, perhaps tomorrow. If not then, Wednesday for sure. My sis called me up today to make a date for it. Funny thing about being sick, is that the thought of eating red meat has no appeal to me at all. Chicken is no problem. But the thought of eating meat, especially beef, is just shiver-inducing. May put a crimp in my fair plans, which always include a foot-long corn dog and a pork chop (pork loin) sandwich, along with some sweets - a "Wonderbar", a homemade ice cream bar covered with chopped peanuts...miniature cinnamon-sugar cake donuts, made right before your eyes (perhaps the most fabulous thing I've ever eaten). The making of those donuts is an amazing sight. When you place your order, the man in the booth flips a switch, and a small conveyor belt starts, propelling 6 pieces of raw dough, which are carried into the fryer. After they cook, the conveyor belt carries them out, and dumps them into a pile of cinnamon sugar. The man gives them a few tosses, then slides them into a little paper bag. I'm telling you, eating those hot, cinnamon donuts is a religious experience. I mean, unsurpassed deliciousness. Now, in case you're marvelling that I could eat all that in one trip, please keep in mind that Okies make several visits during the run of the state fair. I'll probably visit it 2 or 3 times before I'm done. Done eating, that is.

Yesterday, we celebrated my niece's 17th birthday. In our family, that means eating: we had steaks off the grill, corn, potato salad, green salad, and yeast rolls. Then, birthday cake and homemade ice cream. My mom makes the best steak I've ever had, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat any. Maybe next year. Jo's coolest gift? Season 3 on dvd of "La Femme Nikita". She was thrilled!

[Phalon]

Autumn-like happenings of this past week:

The weather was oh-my-god gorgeous; it warmed up quite a bit from the previous week when the temperatures during the day were in the sixties and seventies. This week it was in the high eighties, though the mornings and nights were pleasantly cool.

I had some time to start fall clean-up in the gardens - it seems a bit early, but I usually wait until last minute to do most things so maybe not. A problem I have is I like the yellowing foliage of daylilies and hostas, and the dried seed heads of black-eyed susans and coneflowers. But I have enough black-eyed susans and coneflowers, and because I leave the seed heads until well into fall, I always have more black-eyed susans and coneflowers the following spring. They have taken over nearly every garden I've stuck divisions in, and though I love these flowers, I like my other plants too, so I cut them down early this year.

I moved the blueberries from their spot and planted them in the vegetable garden, where hopefully they will do better next year. Too much shade where they were, and they've never really grown much. The veggie garden is full sun, and I've just about given up on trying to grow vegetables in a drought anyway. Just about...but not completely. There is still enough room for a smattering of veggies - lettuce or a couple of squash maybe.

Speaking of squash - today I tore out the vine that ate my yard. Oh, that's where the blackberries were hiding, and what swallowed the hydrangeas. A volunteer from the compost pile hidden behind a head and footboard from an old iron bed, and tall purple-leaved cannas, this vine sprang to life and I let it. The whole thing - the cannas, the vine trailing through and over the iron, and laying over the hydrangeas was very tropical and lush looking, and I couldn't bear to pull it 'til now when it started to fade. We've now got about two dozen white mini-pumpkins; Hubs spray shellacked them to make them last longer and not rot before Thanksgiving - they make nice decorations.

And since I now have all these tiny pumpkins, I started my Martha Stewart on Crack fall decorations. Found a gnarled and twisted root from I think a red pine, or red cedar - it's a burnt orange color - and twined it to the railing of the front porch, along with branches of contorted willow, and nestled some of the pumpkins within the gnarls. They are a pretty cream color blushed with warm apricot and honey tones, and this is the color I'd like to paint my dining room - it is finally cool enough outside to paint with the windows open.

Had a contractor in to do some drywall in preparation for the painting, and Hub's did the sanding today. Argh. Drywall dust everywhere, and how can such a small job make so much dust?

A group of us at work got together and had a fall equinox party last night. Or a not-quite-yet a fall equinox party, but it is close enough, because last night was the only night we could all get together. Fall equinox - I wonder what Prmystic is doing this season.

I love my friend's yard where we went - it is a enchanted garden of stone paths, hidden rooms, and surprises at every turn. A boxwood labyrinth, a formal backyard garden, and a very cute vegetable garden, fenced in picket, with raised beds, a flagstone path, and harvest statue in the center. But he has no kids who need a yard to play, and because he has no kids, he has time to turn his yard into what it is.

I took the girls out on the trail; they biked while I skied.

And then there is football. After a dismal start to what seemed like would be a dismal season, the Michigan Wolverines beat Notre Dame - a team with just as dismal a start this season - last week 38-0, and this week beat a ranked 10th in the nation, Penn State, 14-9. Go Blue!