Running with Stella

Running with Stella

The weather has been perfect this autumn, it seems that just 

about everyone has a smile on their face.

Stella and I have been running on the trails around town.  When 

we enter the woods, it feels like stepping into a dream.  The 

evening sun filters down; the leaves slowly twirl from their 

branches to the forest floor.  It feels so great just to move along 

the trail drinking in the delicious warm air.

On this afternoon, Stella stopped to listen to the sound of a 

squirrel rustling under the dry fallen leaves.  I took a moment 

to soak it in.

~ Hal

November

November

I've lived in the upper midwest now for 18 years and I can honestly 

say that I am only beginning to learn the meaning of November 

around here. I got an inkling a while back, when Maggie explained 

to me that brown is not just brown. Each variety of grass transforms 

with its own signature hue. When the grey skies and rain come, the 

grasses begin to glow.

The bright leaves of autumn have dropped; only a few varieties of 

oak are left with color. Their rusty brown leaves had the patience to 

hold out for a more subtle moment to sing. The sun, low on the 

horizon, knits the harvest and hills together.

~ Hal

Skylight

Skylight

This past week I was starting to feel a little claustrophobic after 

all of the rain and low clouds we've been getting. The dark, 

damp, early mornings with no starlight or moonlight whatsoever 

are difficult to wake up to.

On Saturday a fresh wind blew in and the sky came alive. While 

running errands just past the edge of town, I kept my eye on these 

open holes in the clouds. When they drifted overhead, a large 

patch of sun would follow. I chased one down and pulled the car 

over to catch this moment.

~ Hal

Back Home

Back Home

Work took me up to Duluth for a couple of days this week, and 

the feeling of "winter coming in" was pervasive. On Thursday 

afternoon, a group of us ran in a 5k race along the boardwalk. 

Running into a very stiff Lake Superior headwind, we watched 

the waves smash against the rocky shore, and dodged the spray 

as best we could.

When I got back home, 40 degrees and the promise of a little sun 

seemed like perfect weather. After working in the yard most of 

Saturday, my evening run was very mellow. I brought my camera 

along and stopped to check out this crab apple tree for a few minutes.

~ Hal

Fall

Fall

This weekend we were back up north, helping Maggie's folks close 

up the cabin for winter.

Sitting at the breakfast table and looking out the window toward the 

lake, we were reminded that "fall" is a verb. The trees were making 

quick business of shedding their leaves - whole stems of black ash 

were coming down in clumps.

The maples at least had the decency to let go of their leaves one at a 

time (albeit in rapid succession). They flitted in circles, catching an 

occasional updraft, but never really questioning their final resting place.

~ Hal

Up North at the Cabin

Up North at the Cabin

We headed up to Maggie's parent's cabin this Labor Day weekend. 

Beverley and Decker were there to greet us as we rolled in late 

Friday night.

The weather was absolutely perfect. We played some badminton, 

ate walleye, did a few chores, burned the brush pile, walked the 

dogs, talked, and read a lot.

All around were hints of autumn. On our Sunday morning run, 

Maggie and I noticed these ferns. I went back the next morning 

and found them again.

~ Hal

Echoes

Echoes

I can imagine, but I can’t honestly remember what this flower looked like a the height of summer. Maggie cast some handfuls of mixed seed at the back fence in early spring. What returned to my eye was a profusion of beautiful confusion.

Now it has come ‘round again, and everything is turned upside-down, reversed, potent.

~ Hal

The End of Autumn

The End of Autumn

Today is the first real day of my photo journal project. It seems like a bleak time of year to start taking photos, the glory of autumn is past, although there is still a touch of color to be found.

I had my eye on a few remnants in the garden over the weekend and on Sunday I stepped out the back door to take a closer look.

~ Hal