The Clouds of Fall---Amazing

Awoke late, to a room filled with orange light, got up, raced downstairs to see if I could catch a picture of the lake just before or as the sun was rising, but I was too late, it was above the horizon and filling the living room with bright light, so bright that I had to sit somewhere other than my usual couch.

Because it's supposed to rain later (what else is new), we went for an hour KAYAKING trip, off to the Marina, back to Sandy Beach and the home.  Of course, just as we got half way across the lake, the sun hid behind the clouds, it got darker and cooler, so most of our trip was not quite what we expected though just about the time we arrived at our dock, the sun came out again and it's been a great morning ever since.  Evie's been inside organizing the kitchen, after our closet and pantry and I just picked up another four buckets of # 3 crushed stone...what fun!

As you can see, I have been obsessed with the clouds of a fall afternoon, so similar each afternoon but so different. They seem more puffy, more distinct, more unusual, even closer than any other time of the year.  When sitting out on the dock reading, especially on a fall afternoon, it's hard to keep your head into your book as the clouds are so demanding.  It also helps that I have time to look, something I have noticed about retirement.  You have time to see things, to sit back and observe the world around you, especially the natural world.  I don't have to be somewhere, get ready for class, grade papers, go to practice, attend a meeting, worry about a kid.  Just the large leisure of an 'endless summer.'