Saturday Morning

The overcast morning kept some whitetail deer away from the cover of the north ridge way after dawn. They flagged their big tails while me and the dogs approached, and got Ben and Maggie all riled up.

On the way down the hill I came across the head and about four inches of a garter snake, probably the remnants of a fox meal. Perhaps we had disturbed the fox, or maybe the head area doesnt taste as good as the rest.

The air under the cottonwood grove had the smell of leaves that are beginning to decay - sort of a sweet, fermenting smell in the early morning. Only parts of the trees are beginning to turn. Down in the understory apocynum and rhus are the first to show fall colors - rich pastel yellow on the apocynum, and yellow tinged with orange, red and purple on the rhus. A White, cream yellow is seen on the box elder maple.

Its nice to walk while there is still dew on the grass, which in the fall occurs later and later. Pretty soon the dew will be frost, which is fine with me, being one that likes winter.

Actually I like all seasons, and the day I am within the most of all. I think I am more and more happy with a humble life, and notice a deep joy within is present most all of the time, especially when I am out walking.







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This Saturday night is the end of a long week; Sunday morning starts a new one.

I helped a friend move last weekend. My truck came in awful handy. After the hard work was done I played catch with her son, a boy who didn't think he could throw a football. Thirty minutes later he was throwing spirals better than me, and took great pride in throwing it hard enough to clear the fence in the back yard.

Then on Thursday I led a nature walk for a large group of eighth graders and their teachers. It was a program on lions and bears - and that age group is impressed with some of the more scairy and fantasic stories about these amazing animals. I only had a short hour, but I made the most of my time, and judging by how quiet they were as they listened, I think I did a good job.