Autumn Glow

We dined on the back patio of the Sidetrack yesterday evening, for what will most likely be the last time this year, this being the end of October and all, despite the fact that yesterday’s high temperature was in the high seventies.  So far, the seasons of 2023 have been winter, spring, summer, fall, summer,… Continue reading Autumn Glow

Suddenly Spectacular

     “Please tell the girl who saw the purple tree that now it’s time to look for pink ones,” I texted our daughter, who teaches elementary school music.  One of her young charges showed up with clear evidence of having been crying, recently, and this was not a child given to tears.  It seemed the… Continue reading Suddenly Spectacular

Early Coat Weather

     In the checkout line at Busch’s with my husband, recently, I realized that I had, as usual, left our grocery tote bags in the trunk of the car.  I dashed for the parking lot to get them, holding my arms to my chest as I hustled, as the store was cold enough that I… Continue reading Early Coat Weather

September Pivot

The weather in Michigan has made the September pivot from summer to fall.  Nighttime temperatures have slipped into the forties.  Grabbing a fleece seems like a good idea on morning walks.  A fleece sometimes seems like a good idea in the house as well.  And harvests are coming in.      The neighbors around the corner… Continue reading September Pivot

Proud Bones

Last month, Tanya and I went to a talk on barns, at which the presenter mentioned that a barn would be taken down on the twenty-fourth of October.  He told us the barn in question was at Parker and Spies (pronounced speez) Roads.  And this Monday, the date in question, my husband agreed to go… Continue reading Proud Bones

Light

Georgetown Boulevard in the fall is a contender for most gorgeous street in town, like Awixa in the spring.  I was riding up Georgetown with my friend Cindy this week, and she was so much in the thrall of the maples that line the street that she missed our turn.  That was on a rainy… Continue reading Light

Autumn Glow

As we were walking toward the parking lot after dinner at Zukey Lake, I spotted a bald eagle on the wing.  It was easy to see, in an otherwise empty blue sky, and flying toward us, distinctive white head to the fore.  There were other people near us, making their way to or from the… Continue reading Autumn Glow

Changed from Glory

During the late afternoon of Halloween, as neighbors were arranging treat tables in their driveways, there was some fuss among the grownups on the grass island in the middle of the court.  It was covered in mushroom fairy rings.  They were much smaller than the one Sue and I found in Saginaw Forest, which was… Continue reading Changed from Glory

Walking on Marbles

While stepping briskly through Oakwoods Nature Area this week, I found myself suddenly fighting to keep my balance.  It was as if I were walking on marbles.  The path was covered with acorns that had lost their caps, rolling freely and hastening my progress downhill.  Our neighbors had a similar experience near Jackson.  They were… Continue reading Walking on Marbles