Fall Colors on Campus

... Florida style.

Signs of Fall

It was in the mid-90s today, but there are acorns and dogwood berries on our driveway.

And a big pile of exams to grade on my desk.

Sea Creature Weekend

Yesterday we drove down to Panacea to the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, a little research lab and conservation facility on the coast. They have some really amazing sea creatures -- ethereal sea slugs, weird puffer fish, anemones in psychedelic pinks and purples, brilliant yellow sea horses.

This is the incredibly strange batfish, which uses its pectoral fins to walk on the bottom of the ocean. When it saw us, it paddled over to the edge of the tank, squatted down, and gave us a fierce look from its angry little face.

It's not like visiting an aquarium. For one thing, most of the sea creatures are in shallow, open tanks so that they can be handled. It's almost like being underwater with them. Many of the animals were curious and friendly, like these rays, which swam up to us ...

... then leapt out of the water to greet us. I thought they wanted food. David thought they wanted us to be their food. But the lab assistant said they were just interested in seeing people and having their noses petted. We were not allowed to pet them, but we did get to pick up horseshoe crabs and pet starfish. As I put my hand in the water, a scallop watched me with a row of tiny glittering blue eyes. David was bitten by a green filefish as he was reaching to touch some sea pork.

After all the interaction with sea life, I felt like a Nereid.

So on my way out, I rode a dolphin.

One Of These Men Is 103

David's great-uncle Sug will turn 104 this October.

We went to his house yesterday -- Uncle Sug still lives by himself -- and had a great time just sitting around talking with him.

Kayaks on Claytor Lake

Morris took us to his favorite fishing and boating spot, Claytor Lake.

While David and Morris relaxed on a balcony in the park lodge overlooking the water ...

... John and I rented kayaks and paddled out to explore the lake.

We went over to the far side of the lake, where the water was splashing and thudding into little caves in the rocky shore.

We ventured into a cove where everything was completely silent except for the sound of wind in the trees. Then the patter of rain in the trees. Then rain began to fall all around us. We floated quietly and listened.

When the clouds got dark and the rain picked up, we headed back for shore. We made it back just before the storm hit.

The Morning of Mushrooms

Before we left for Hillsville, I mowed the front yard. Underneath the long grass were flocks of tiny mushrooms.

Some were a couple of inches tall. The tiniest were pin-sized and delicate.

I mulched them over carefully with the cut grass so they can keep growing in the dark while we're gone.

Scenes From Bloomington

Last week David and I were in Bloomington for an action-packed week. There were so many people I wanted to see and so many things I wanted to do that I didn't get to take pictures of everything. But I did catch a few moments on film:


Early morning on Lake Griffy, from a rowboat.

Mom holding the oars.

I was so excited to see Katy on her way to Wyoming, and to meet her adorable son Eric!

And I had the best time at this Crosby Stills & Nash concert with Brenda, Will, Mom, and Dad.

And sitting on the other side, John and Jennifer.

It was a lovely Indiana evening.

And it ended with this incredible sunset.

Some Moments on the Farm

This is the farm that belongs to Mimi's family. It's a place that's hard to describe because it's so beautiful and so much a part of my childhood. It's also a place that's about to pass out of our lives and disappear forever. On this trip, we were lucky enough to spend a couple of bittersweet days there.

Is this Margaret playing on the porch in 2009 or Katy playing on the porch in 1977?

William and Mom returning from a toad-hunting expedition. They captured a tadpole.

Chacko in a Best-of-Show stance.

Will and William.

Will and Brenda shucking corn in their inimitable style.

If Eric got to be held and danced around, Chacko thought he deserved the same treatment.

Margaret and Eric.

A walk around the barn.

Then There Was A Party

There seemed to be so many people on the porch doing so many different things.

Trying on shoes.

Basking in the sun.

Opening presents.

Checking the iPhone.

Wearing a crown of Queen-Anne's-Lace.

Hiding behind a dog.

Being welcomed back to the USA.

I tried to take in every last detail.

What a rare and perfect afternoon.

Some Packing is Occurring

And I don't like it.

Don't Worry

I have a zoom lens.

The Chamblin Book Mine

This is the bookstore we went to on Saturday, as seen by an author I like. The bookshelves really do seem to go on forever, and you really do start losing your grasp on space and time. Come visit me and see it for yourselves.

Dreaming of Seascapes

You seriously have to check out the website of photographer David Doubilet. His images of underwater life are amazing.

He won me over the second I saw that his portfolio had a Jellyfish section.