Taking Meisa for her walks is giving me time to look at leaves. I think last year’s fall leaves were more beautiful, but there’s still beauty to see.
Fall Preview
I was feeling guilty about my cloudy skies snap yesterday — the day ended up being quite nice. So today, as I was snapping a beautiful blue sky, I got distracted by this tree just starting to turn.
I wonder, will this fall be as gorgeous as last year’s? I hope so.
Which is your favorite season?
Leaves in the Sun
The sun is shining — it’s another beautiful day in the neighborhood. :-)
Mid-October Lunchtime Walk
Shortly after noon, I looked up from my desk to see a balmy1Upper 60’s. Not a cloud in the sky. mid-October day inviting me to a lunchtime walk. Who was I to decline?
Grabbing my camera, I headed out for a clockwise 1.5 mile walk around Hawthorn Farm. I snapped pictures of fall leaves in between kicking and stomping the acorns scattered about.
Halfway around, I spied a great blue heron stalking. I paused to take a picture and saw it strike, coming up with a small creature in its bill. A mouse?
A one o’clock meeting placed a hard stop on my trek, so I hurried the remainder of the circuit.
Another beautiful day!2Aren’t they all? :-) :-)
- 1Upper 60’s. Not a cloud in the sky.
- 2Aren’t they all? :-)
Early Fall Bicycling
Fall is creeping into Hillsboro and it’s changing my bike commute.
This morning was 41°, a little chilly for my summer “uniform” of shorts and a button-up shirt. Cold isn’t all bad; I can crank hard without overheating. And it gave me something to talk about with another bicyclist while we waited for a signal.
Yesterday’s ride was a warmer 55°, but the roads were still wet from overnight rain. I slowed down to stop the rear wheel from sucking up moisture and flinging it at my back.
Monday, I wimped out and drove. I didn’t want to bike in the morning rain.
The days are getting shorter. Right now I’m fighting glare: the sun is low and dead ahead coming and going. Pretty soon, I’ll be riding in the dark.
I’m going to need a few things to keep biking to work:
- Front and rear fenders. Because I’m using a mountain bike with front shocks, I understand my choices for the front fender are more limited. That’s too bad. Fenders could be useful in the summer, too. Some sprinklers soak the bike paths.
- A light, waterproof jacket. I can pull out when I need protection from cold or rain, yet can easily stuff away when I don’t.
- Front and rear lights. Although a dynamo system would be awesome, I think I’ll to settle for battery-powered. My bike lanes aren’t dark, I just want the cage drivers to see me — and not hit me.
- Rear rack and pannier. This isn’t mandatory, but it would be nice to lose the backpack.
Are you still biking to work as the weather changes? Or are you eagerly awaiting good weather?
