It's Friday.

The last bouquets of summer

Hello Gentle Readers. On this Friday, the sky is overcast, the temperature is in the mid-60's, and the trees begin to show muted fall colors. I wonder if the heat and drought will make for less vibrant colors. Although I see a few vivid yellow birch leaves outside my window. Earlier a Cooper's Hawk created quite a kerfluffle in the back yards but the blue jays put out the warning call. 

Thinking. As daylight hours decrease, I am thinking about how to maintain my step count. During the spring and summer evenings, I often tend the yard and garden or we take a short evening stroll. These steps add to my one long daily walk. Now that the outdoors is pitch dark by 7:15 p.m., I might invest in some sort of light and/or reflective gear. With a phone, I feel safe in the early evening but I worry about tripping on uneven sidewalk. I have reported the locations to the city. As of last summer, they were over three years behind on maintenance. I know such thoughts are a luxury that others in the world do not have but I won't be useful to anyone if I don't keep moving. 

Grateful. We had plans this past week to visit our daughter and family in Connecticut until my husband injured his foot. An x-ray showed no broken bones but some soft tissue damage that makes walking painful. His foot is slowing improving but we postponed our trip. With one phone call, I transfered our airline tickets to next month. I was also able to transfer the airport parking reservation. At my son's advice, I book directly through the airlines. I am grateful for the ease and the transfer.

Inspired. I continue to be inspired by multiple perspectives. The other day I saw the underside of a flicker high up in the birch. As he flexed his wings, I saw some vibrant yellow markings and the structural detail under the wing. Flickers are quirky birds and I get a kick out of their gait when they are on the ground but this view was beautiful and completely different. 

In another instance of multiple perspectives, I enjoyed the last chapter of The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley. The author discussed the many ways her life has been portrayed in books, poetry, and even film. By examining the context in both Boston and London between 1767 - 1784, Waldstreicher establishes Wheatley as an intellectual genius who used her talents to further the cause of freedom for Africans who were enslaved. His scrupulous documentation explains how American slavery was part of the political machinations of the American Revolution. The perspective was different from anything I learned in school. (I promise I won't write about this book again but it was a powerful read for me.) 

Fun. Jonah and Kate called while working in the kitchen. Jonah was making cranberry bread. He showed me how to crack eggs and measure 3/4 c. of orange juice as he related what he learned about the cultivation and harvest of cranberries. He had Kate cut a berry in half to show me the air pockets that allow the berries to float. They were following the recipe from the picture book, Cranberry Thanksgiving and had ordered a copy of Cranberry Christmas to give to the teacher along with a loaf of bread. He was also going to give a loaf to the bookstore lady who ordered the book for him. Jonah is the guy who loves gardening and landscaping. He also has a generous heart.

I finished Norah's polka dot hat and knit bright pink toes on these socks. They were languishing in a bag and I'd almost forgotten about them. In a happy accident, they sort of matched this pair of pajama pants. 

I hope you have a nice weekend. I'm thinking a pot of soup is in order this fall evening. Happy Friday.