It is October, my friends, and the days have grown short. We are well into autumn, and a quiet comfortable summer has finally drawn to a close.
Fall began with a hot spell that continues still. As the first days of the season passed on the calendar, the nights were hot when they should have been cool, and the days were hotter yet. The leaves in my front yard slumped to crusty shades of brown, and drooped passively from their branches until finally they collapsed as desiccated husks to the cracked dry ground below.
And I looked back at the season past, with little excitement of which to write.
This summer I continued to serve my friends and loved ones the skordalia, muhammara, and tzatziki I ate in Greece and Turkey.
And the best pesto I have ever made, inspired by my days in Genova.
I had my house painted, which first involved a mistaken choice of colors. No – I didn’t want baby blue, but now am happy with a deeper blue grey.
I ran my first 5K, which was a personal accomplishment. Halfway through, when my shoelace came untied, I kept running for fear that if I stopped I wouldn’t start moving again. My time was about 27 minutes, which I’m told is pretty good.
I traveled to Marquette for work, where I finally viewed the spectacular shores of Lake Superior.
And when I first saw the ore dock, I had no idea what it was, standing as it does like a holy sanctuary in the bay.
And, of course, I spent many of my summer weekends in New York, enjoying the city and an occasional trip to Long Island, where the fickle winds offered up only one perfect day of sailing.
Instead we took an architectural tour of Manhattan by boat, where I saw the little red lighthouse sitting at the foot of the great grey bridge. I remember this book fondly from my childhood, and never imagined it was based on a true story.
And my Saturday morning ritual of a walk to the Union Square Greenmarket continued unabated.
The market always seems to offer new finds, like these amazing grapes that continue to haunt me.
And most recently, I had a reunion with colleagues from work. This was a reunion that warmed my soul and gave me great joy.
But the seasons turn and so do my plans. The time to travel is back, and D and I will soon be boarding another widebody. While I still haven’t finalized all of my plans for the year, this first destination will be to a familiar one, but with new sights to see. And my final destination for the academic year will be a physical challenge that will certainly keep me incommunicado for a number of days. What comes between is yet to be determined.
So join me again, my friends, because it is time once more to explore new places and cultures. I have already begun to pack, because the world awaits, as do new adventures. One never really knows what lies around the next corner and just up the street.
Love,
Butterblogger
butterblogger 