Molly

We were planning to meet the kids and my mom in San Francisco today but Molly got sick. Instead, we ended up driving down to my mom's to pick her up. Poor thing, it must be a flu. Now we're snuggling in bed with our comfortable pajamas on waiting for Michael and Oliver to come back from the store to make dinner. Molly has requested watermelon, granny smith apples, macaroni and cheese with peas and sausage. Anything else Molly? She seems to have her appetite back! I hope she feels better tomorrow so we can enjoy our Sunday together. I would love to take a bike ride over to the campus arboretum to see all the changing trees and ducks on the pond. Molly says she would like to pack a picnic, again her mind is on food. OK Molly, just get better and tomorrow we shall picnic!

Colors on My Bike Ride

My favorite tree

Wow, nature is amazing!

The swing under the walnut tree stands still while children are at school.

Yellow-green leaves with chocolate brown seed pods.

Light streams through the canopy above the Shire.

Gourds decorate a neighbors fence like little swans.

Peach leaves make a beautiful color when dying silks.

Everyday, the colors intensify and everyday I say I need to capture these beautiful trees with a photograph. I finally made myself stop this morning. It's so nice to just stop what you're doing and take notice of nature's fantastic display. If you don't, you might just miss it. Soon a rain will come knocking down the leaves, leaving only bare branches to behold until spring. Take a moment to really soak in these colors while they last!

A Visit from my Sister

My sister, Addie, came for an overnight visit! The kids were so excited to have her here. They love having Auntie Addie nearby to pop in like this. They had dinner together in our ghostly decorated house and Addie braided Molly's hair for her, before bed. This morning, I baked cinnamon popovers with butter and honey then we were all off to school on our bikes. It felt so good to watch Addie ride ahead next to Oliver, chatting all the way. After dropping off the kids, we headed to ciocolat for a coffee and shared a breakfast. We had a great time talking and watching the UC traffic (bikes) go by. So wonderful to start building a relationship with my little sister. She is amazing. We had great laughs about her terribly uncomfortable bike seat the whole way home!

Morning Snapshots

A bike ride, just me and Molly. Molly is beneath a rainbow silk setting up the play area for the preschoolers. The parents enjoying coffee, conversation and snacks in the breezeway. The children barefoot in mounds of mud mixing and building their wood burning oven for the garden. My last glimpse is of my aunt Mary in a floppy hat and flowing skirt leading the little preschoolers down a lane of changing walnuts sweetly singing "follow, follow, follow me". Beauty in simplicity.