"It was imprudent of us, in the first place, to become authors. We could have become something regular, but we managed not to.
We were lucky, but we were also determined." Roy Blount Jr

"I don’t change the facts to enhance the drama. I think of it the other way round, the drama has got to fit the facts,
and it’s your job as a writer to find the shape in real life."
Hilary Mantel

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Kaleidoscope

It's sunny, mild, at least 70 degrees--doesn't feel like autumn at all, but with all the blazing colour it definitely looks like autumn.

A transitional maple in the front yard.



After church, we enjoyed a canoe voyage round the little lake. Along the way, we met neighbours walking or biking along the road, making the most of this incredible gift of an afternoon.

At the spot where we "park" the canoe, a few cherished chestnuts are growing.



These are actual rare wild American chestnuts. The species was vulnerable to a chestnut blight and supposedly they live only a few years and die back. And yet, as the years pass, we can identify chestnuts on our property that would seem to have outlived any predictions--they grow and grow!

For the first part of our journey, I devoted myself to photographing bright leaves floating in the water.



None of my shots turned out as artsy as I'd hoped, but I had fun. And didn't fall out of the canoe!

The hillside on the western shore of the lake.



A very attractive tree.



Facing the eastern shore--and the Lodge. Which can't be seen because of all the trees.



We spent much of yesterday driving around, leaf-peeping. We had a meeting downtown and afterwards re-visited a recently re-opened restaurant we used to enjoy in a town on the other side of the capital city. My positive research karma kicked into overdrive at the antiquarian book store, where I stumbled upon three very desirable and necessary history books. The Chap bought me a present--a souvenir booklet, circa 1971, marking the 50th anniversary of females in the New Hampshire Legislature. Highly entertaining! Returned home along a wonderfully scenic route.

Last night we watched the Very Important Sporting Event on telly. On this blog I've kept stum, for fear of jinxing things...will continue to do so. I prayed hard about it this morning at church and reckon all the other parishioners were doing the same!


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