Fall 2011

So, this fall has been like most over the past 20 years - busy with school and not much time for adventures.  We've managed a good 15-20 mile bike ride about every three weeks, with a shorter 8-9 miler here in town in between.  We've been to Walmart and Goodwill and the grocery store; exciting, huh?.  We've spent mega hours over too many weekends in our offices.  I've created over 20 PowerPoint presentations to provide content to my online class.  And then there is the grading...

What has been different was (and still is) the weather.  This has been one of the nicest fall seasons I can remember.  We've had a few short cold spells but it has been warm and dry (probably too dry) for several months.  The capris and short sleeved tops are still hanging in the closet, though it really is time to admit capri weather is over.  The leaves have been changing color so slowly that it seems like we are missing that burst of color.  Once we stop and really look, the color is there but just not all at once.

It is hard to believe that November is almost here.  Will snow and ice appear soon?

This is evidence of a fall bike ride, taken on the town bike path.  Yes, my big city friends, the corn fields come right to the edge of town.

Hutch and Gromit manage to find a way into the waist pack for a ride on the bikes.

This is the view from our front window.  In the late afternoon the leaves almost glow as the sunlight is reflected on the leaves.  A cold night meant that the lawn was blanketed in yellow leaves the next day.

Our two maples had already lost many of their deep red leaves but they were almost glowing.  Again, the next day most of these leaves were on the ground thanks to temps in the 20s overnight.