Taking to the Trail III(e)

Out of a 9-to-5 day, I had exactly one (1) student and she came in at 9:00 AM. I took it as a sign that I should go for a walk today. I put in another fourteen miles and feel pretty good (a shower and a scotch has done no harm). The trail is beginning to fill with leaves in places, especially under the cottonwoods. As I looked up I saw no decisive signs of fall, but when I got to the lake two miles from the car, the entire opposite shore - cottonwoods all - was decidedly more yellow than green. Fall has arrived in Southeast Michigan regardless of the calendar. It has been a privilege to be there to see it. More to come! What a fabulous day to be handed as a blessing! The high was seventy-one degrees and the breezes consistently stymied the already-groggy mosquitoes. I even put on my vest for a few minutes at lunchtime. My age-related slowness to acquire muscle mass is being gradually beaten into line and I'm still two weeks from lift-off.

The woods continue to produce beautiful things. I don't even know the name of this gorgeous six-foot-tall plant with its nine-inch pannicles of fruit.

Then there is the consistent beauty of the ivy climbing its way to make use of the dead and dying. One variety (often spreading over large sections of forest floor) is actually a striking pink right now, while it's relative shows up deep red against so much that is otherwise still green and even skelotonized black.
To think we have at least a week of days like this predicted!