sugarplums

"while visions of sugarplums danced through her head"

xc skiing with son Taylor was enjoyable on a holiday weekend while my lake is frozen and only the river lies ahead for the winter.



wrinkles

"character is the result of two things: mental attitude and the way we spend our time." -- elbert hubbard

getting older doesn't have to also mean less active, but the wrinkles come and the hair goes... as do the seasons with growth and renewal always ahead.. these cliffs at cordova reflect the wrinkled transition of time and provide a quiet point for meditation on the lake.  now the snow will decorate them for Christmas.

great expectations

"i have always found when i was worrying, that the best thing to do was put my mind upon something, work hard and forget what was troubling me." -- thomas edison

i'm not sure our cat, schnitzel, has to "work hard" when worrying about something but considering what is in her package might qualify as that.  as one author was quoted, "work is the noblest word in the dictionary."

surf's up

"he that embarks on the voyage of life will always wish to advance rather by the impulse of the wind than the strokes of the oar; and many fold in their passage while they lie waiting for the gale." --samuel johnson

a memorable meeting with couchsurfer justin from omaha afforded us the opportunity to share in the joys of exploration and adventure.  he spent a night with us on his way, first to fairfield and then on to texas.  after a tour and a taste at peacetree i tucked my desire to travel into his already overweight backpack.  thanks justin for choosing to stay with us and sharing your energy!

gone fishin'

"the ocean teems with life, we know.  of the four elements of the old philosophers - fire, earth, air, and water - perhaps the sea most of all abounds with living creatures." -- matthew fontaine maury

fishermen and fishing pelicans abounded on a breezy saturday afternoon, as evidenced by my trip from elk rock to the marina and back.  the nicer day of the weekend, sunday, was devoted to manicuring bushes in preparation for next weekends possible snow.  perhaps i should be taking advantage of warm weather as much as possible... for the right activities (i'd rather be paddling).