Wow. It’s October already!

Today, a friend and I hopped in her car and went for a day-trip. We drove a couple of hours to an Ikea store and met my daughter and son-in-law for lunch. And shopped, of course. What a great way to spend a day! Not that I’m typically a shopper – far from it! – but spending time with some of my favorite people and gallivanting across the countryside are always a pleasure for me.

It was a gorgeous fall day in Michigan – the kind we really treasure. I’m a visual person, and a day like this is almost an overdose of visual stimuli for me (but in a good way). {g}

We enjoyed robin’s-egg blue skies, fluffy puffs of plump white clouds, trees dressed in autumn finery of crimson and green, orange and brown. Verdant meadows were dotted with clumps of shrubs and wildflowers – purple clusters and yellow. Golden fields of crops on the wane painted hills and valleys. Kettles of hawks circled high above the trees, soaring on updrafts. Their solitary cohort sat atop the highest branch of a naked tree, keeping watch.

I was so busy soaking in the splendor that I didn’t even take any pictures*.

(And in case you’re interested, since Vicki drove, not me, I just ignored all the cars and buildings. Sometimes, deliberately, we see what we want to see… {g})

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* I've gotten the urge to take pictures again, so here are a few recent ones. I thought they might be useful when I go to write description – they are pretty, natural scenes. I’ve particularly focused on a meadow overgrown with some gold flowering plant (goldenrod maybe?? I know not!) as it began to turn colors. It’s a spot I drive past on my way to and from work.

Click any photo to enlarge the view.
















Field of Gold in September
(day one of four)


















A Good Hiding Spot for Little Birds
(day one of four)
















A Little Spot of Color
(day one of four)

For those of y'all who don't get much snow, that little color-tipped metal pole sticking up behind the fire hydrant is the tip-off for snowplow drivers not to get too close. Guess they figger we're going to have a light year, else they'd have those ten-footers out. ;)















Sunflower Patch
(day one of four)
















The A.M. Commute

A lucky shot, using digital camera without looking to see what I was shooting. (Kids, don't try this at home.)
















Field of Gold in the Rain
(day 2 of 4)
















Field of Gold in September
(day 3 of 4)
















Field of Gold in September
(day 4 of 4)
















The Hand of God

Fingers of cloud with rays of sunlight streaking out between them.

















The Sentinel



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TRACKING...

Yesterday's Big Accomplishment:
Began recasting Brakkus & Sareen’s conversation in real time, per crit feedback. Found numerous substitues for “scroll” and plugged them in to chapter one. {g}
Also fixed (again!) the freaking cable internet connection.

Today's Target:
Continue work on recasting conversation (above).
Update Blogs.
Make a decision about a laser printer.

On the Percolator:
What happens at Falcon's place in Maru?