NOTICING THE REMNANTS OF HALLOWEEN TIME

The red leaves are gone. There are now fluffy-looking grey spaces in the trees where they used to be. It’s strictly orange, rust and yellow now. Very appropriate. 

I smelled snow in town yesterday. It lifted me off my feet for a second. What a thrill!

There are still daisies, evening primrose, aster and hydrangea hanging on tight out there, making our fall look decorated for something special. The chicory are still blooming their impossibly blue, toothy flowers; little white claws on the ends of their paws... The kale is extra delicious for the first frost having changed its chemistry a little. 

It is the exact right time of year to start seeing the Will-o’-the-Wisp again. This phenomenon is also known as “Fairy Lights”, “Jack-O-Lantern”, “Swamp Lights” and “Foxfire.” I have seen it twice now, which is a lot I’m guessing? I keep checking the weather to see if the conditions are right. It is the most excellent Halloween sight I have ever witnessed. The first time I saw it was with ManFriendJeff. He was trying to get me to believe a cow out in the woods was actually a giant mountain lion. We were both horribly startled however, when what looked like a twinkling lantern held aloft began to travel from right to left across the field just beyond the fenceline. I heard myself say out loud “Ok, that pisses me off.” It’s good to know how you will react in a fight or flight situation I guess? 

A lady wore Halloween leggings to my pilates class and I almost tackle-hugged her. I had to have a talk with myself; “Calm down. That would not be ok.”

The cats are getting zoomier with the below 40 nights we have been having. They blaze through the house like cracked-out squirrels in a giant pinball machine. It kinda feels like a small earthquake which is impressive considering that combined they don’t even weigh twenty pounds. I wonder what a PSI gauge would read when their feet hit the stairs? I suspect it would be an impressive measurement worthy of an episode of “Planet Earth.”

I stopped wearing my bear ring for a while by accident. I found it nestled in a pocket of my bag next to N95’s, tampons, tea bags, backstage passes, a highlighter pen, my passport and some ibuprofen. It slid right onto my finger as if to say “I’m here to remind you to be a lot nicer to yourself.” Then I pulled some dog hair out of my belly button.