Chicago's Photo Montage

here it comes ...



















































































































... so good.

Can she bake a cherry pie?

Today was quite the day. And it's been a rather long one, at that. I woke around 7:00 this morning, so that I might leave for Ada with Matt and Joel. I ended up arriving around 8:00, and the service I attended didn't begin until 11:00. It was wonderful. That time, from 8 to 11 (which, of course, only ended up being about 2 hours of productive time) gave me a much need chunk of time for focusing and writing and reading.


And today, on the drive to Chicago, we made a detour for Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant, which, by the way, was rather enjoyable ... especially the raspberry rhubarb pie. Anyway, as you can see from the pictures, the restaurant featured the most amazing artwork. Please note, in the above picture (which hung above a urinal in the bathroom), the second dog from the right. Apparently, on the parade to the post, some dogs really need to take a break ... and do it in a very hands-on manner. That's news to me.

And the picture on the right, well, we found this creepy life-like statue. It looked so modern and real-ish. We couldn't believe the verisimilitude. So, just to make sure that this moment was captured, we had Sarah stand next to the model while holding the Crane sign. So good.




And here's just another shot of the trees. The vibrancy within the leaves. The hot pinks and oranges and yellows. Absolutely blow my mind. Apparently someone didn't tell this maple that it's no longer the 80s. And neon jump suits are not the style.

Icy coating all around.

This morning, much to my surprise and delight, I walked outside to see a wonderful sheen of crisp light rising off the grass outside my door. Oh, the frost had finally come, I realized moments afterward.

As any could possibly guess, Autumn must be my favorite season of the year. With all the chill, cool feelings that surround and swallow me each time I walk outside, how can I help but love this season. Not to mention the other sights, scents and sounds of this season.

The colors of leaves as they begin their fiery descent from tree to ground. The smell of cold that permeates even the tightest, most closely-woven scarves. The snap, crackle, pop and, more accurately, crunch of the aforementioned leaves as one walks from here to there. So good.

Now, putting that sentimentality aside, for it has a tendency to make these types of entries too enjoyable for the unwary, unsuspecting reader, today I realized, for the first time in a while, how little I can often realize.

Over the past month or two, my interest in trees and plants has arisen once again. That you may already know. Today it struck me, though, how little I have payed attention to them (the trees) in the past.

I've been living in the same apartment for more than a year by now, thus all the trees and plants and anything else has been around and visible as much today as it was for any day since I moved it. I really like the tree just outside our porch, and I've especially appreciated it as it's turned its wonderful colors.

It struck me today, though, that I have no memory of its color transformation last year. Granted, it has been a year since then, but I simply have no recollection, regardless of how hard I might try, of even really noticing the color change before this fall.

That thought, of not even beginning to take note of something literally staring me in the face bothers me greatly. How many other things appear on a daily basis that I fail to notice? Well, for now at least, I guess I must resolve to try to be more perceptive. Until that day of complete perception comes, I'll keep trying to pick up on those little moments ... when I might normally just be tempted to steadily stride past the little frozen dewdrops on each single blade.

Fantasy comes to life

How can one not love a chance to build landscapes, draft an army and save the world? I have no idea. Seriously.

Last night the boys (of the West Wing) and I played yet another rousing game of Heroscape, aptly described as the "Battle of All Time." Although we failed to finish the whole game (since most of us needed a bit more beauty sleep), we made enough progress to see heroes fall, underdogs rise and real world around us disappear into oblivion. For how can anything else matter when you witness a battle of epic proportions between a Vampire lord and a fantastical Giant?

All jest aside, Heroscape has proven to be one of my favorite games of all time. It stealthily blends basic concepts (that anyone could learn) with multitudes of unique characteristics (for the more seasoned, strategic players). Anyone and everyone would do well to give this a go.


In other news, life has begun (or, more accurately, persisted) yet again. On my most recent trip back home (to the lovely, albeit flatish state of Indiana) I brought back quite a few small trees and seeds to perpetuate my most recent infatuation with those grand plants. It proved to be a rather fruitful endeavor, as most all of those that made the trip are still living.

This specific branch, as shown just to the left, was cut from the wonderfully joyous weeping willow from my front yard. That tree, in all likelihood, remains my favorite tree ... possibly in all the world ... but at least in all the upper midwest region.

During my stay at home, I learned that some willows (specifically connected to the weeping variety) can grow from simple branch clippings when kept in water, of course. Thus, in my desire to bring the joy of willow to my apartment here in town, I made some cuts and brought back a few branches.

Only two days ago did I realized that the branches had actually taken root, and they each maintained between 3 and 6 new shoots of leaves. Oh, my, how the excitement and happiness rose within me.

And there goes the cat.

Well, this cat may have been a pain in the collective side of the apartment for a week, but when it arbitrarily falls asleep on my arm ... in this position, nonetheless, even I can't wish for its untimely demise.

This is probably the most interesting story of my day. The cat, whose name I loathe even to pronounce for fear it might care for me more than I for it, continuously moved around trying desperately to obtain a small morsel of my dinner. I found myself repeating, time and again, that the cat wasn't a human, and everyone knows that my soup always remains solely the dish of humans.

After I finished eating, though, she came onto my lap, and I, being then in a rather playful mood, pushed her over on her back ... just in the crevasse between my arm and my chest ... expecting at least a minor struggle, if not one of gargantuan proportion (considering the size of the cat, of course). But alas, my attempt proved futile and wasted. Without even batting an arm, let alone an eyelid, the cat simply fell asleep.

Never in all my life have I witnessed such a feat. For it wasn't even the most comfortable of positions. And there it stayed for the next 20 minutes or so. And I thought to myself. "If only it always lived like this ... asleep."

Loveliest View from the Apartment

I've decided to now try this again. Since it's been a long while since I wrote anything ... and I've never actually written anything of importance yet (which is maybe kind of funny in a not-really-humorous way, since I've only written once before).

Recently (over the past 3 or 4 weeks now) I've rediscovered the long-standing, long-dormant love of trees that resides deep in my soul. So good. Thus I began a project a couple weeks ago to grow some trees in my apartment.

Maybe it's a bit ridiculous, as some might claim (... or have claimed), but I do have around 30 small trees in my bedroom. Let me tell you, it's quite the oxygen rush in there ;) And I've collected seeds for a dozen (or so) other trees/kinds of trees. Those I hope to plant in the spring after I've "wintered" them. I still don't really know what I'm supposed to do, but maybe I'll figure it out ... and maybe it'll work out. We'll see.

Anyway, today's post is intended not only to reignite my desire for writing in here, but it's also to share some of the most Calvin trees I've ever seen. So good. How can anyone resist the maroon and gold? Seriously? I get to walk past these lovely trees each and every day. What a delight.