Good Night, Leaves

At the peak of the gently arched roof of my apartment building, just outside and above my second floor window, is the kind of light that I think Lisa would call a dawn-to-dusker. I like to think of her stories about her parents' farm when I think of it anyway, but I may be sentimental.

Anyway, it's a cold, rainy, windy October night, so lots of yellow leaves are floating hidden through the darkness, only to light up in flashes of yellow and brown as the gusts rush them through the beam. As I watch them, I imagine how pretty it's going to look in the winter when snow is drifting in great clouds or curtains through that cone of light as I sit writing into the night.

I'm still pretty stressy here, and I'm still not a hundred percent sure it's going to work out. But there are a lot of things that are good, and a few things, small and large, that are pretty wonderful, both at school and here at home.

And now I'm off to bed. More work to do in the morning.

Morning Shopping Trip

I was feeling droopy this morning, so I took a walk to triple dollar corner. I am now a proud owner of a silicone whisk, a rain poncho, and a cheese grater (the lack of which was keeping me from buying block cheese). I also treated myself to a frozen egg roll, 'cause I'm totally cutting loose this weekend.

Lincoln Park Steps

I needed to take a break and be active, but I didn't want to deal with getting my bike out of the apartment. Instead, I took a 1.3 mile walk/jog to a park I hadn't explored yet, climbing up to the top of the large hill in the center and back down. When I got home, I ate a salad and some yogurt with granola. Am I becoming one of those weird health-people?

Maybe not, 'cause I'm probably going to have some ice cream later.

The park has a disused path up the side of Lincoln Hill consisting of stretches of bricks set long-ways into the ground interspersed with flights of disheveled stone or concrete steps. It has the kind of lonely, secreted-away atmosphere that I find so appealing in urban nooks and crannies. It's going to be one of my favorite nearby places.

Here's a photo of the bottom of the path. I'll get back with my big cameras when I have some time. Probably next year, at this rate.