Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Category Archives: fall


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Photo assignment: Autumn

Scott, over at  Views Infinitum, has given out another photography assignment; to share some of the autumn photos we’ve all inevitably taken these past couple of months.  Before we give way to winter it’s an opportunity to remember those last days of precious warmth.

I could fill this blog post with photos of colored trees and blue skies, but I decided to go back to my Lake Huron shots and look for more subtle signs of autumn.  You’ll see golden grass and empty beaches, the low angle of the sun and places already waiting for spring.  Here are some photos you haven’t seen from our October weekend adventure along the shores of Lake Huron; a place enjoyed by many in the hot days of summer but overlooked as the air chills.

We enjoyed morning light along the shore…

…and an adventure walking on a trail through the wetlands…

…which brought us out to the lake…and got our shoes soaking wet.

We walked along the shore or Lake Huron at the state park in Tawas, enjoying the views of the lighthouse in the crisp fall air…

…wandered past the picnic area waiting patiently for those first families of spring to arrive…

…and the beach, wistful for the shouts of children running for the water.

We walked through many wildlife refuges, where the grass has turned golden but still glowed in the sun.

There is so much more to show you, wide open wetlands, the views from the bluffs of the AuSable river…but I’ll end by giving you an image taken at home.  Just to remind myself that I don’t have to travel to see beautiful sights.  Sometimes they’re right outside my own window.


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Last day of Indian Summer?

This afternoon, on what might be the last absolutely beautiful day of fall, Katie and I went out to play Frisbee in the back yard.  What a glorious day!  The forsythia is blooming!  Does this mean it won’t bloom next spring?

The burning bush has a few leaves left, shining in the last light of fall.

Katie had a blast.  She brought the Frisbee back to me most of the time.

Though sometimes she took it off with her for a personal adventure that didn’t include me.

After so much running around it was time to take a quick break.

Then it was back to the fun.  Come ON Mom, throw it!

OK Katie-girl….here you go!


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Seeing the light

Katie has been in rare form the last couple of weeks.  She’s up early, wanting to go out, wanting something to eat, wanting to play, wanting, wanting, wanting.  Sometimes I go to work early just to get away from her and her needs.

One early morning this week we had already been out in the cold and dark multiple times and as far as I was concerned she was finished with everything she needed to do out there.  I wasn’t planning on taking her out again before I left for work.

But once she starts whining she doesn’t stop.  Ever.  No amount of my admonishing works.  She might go lay down for a minute or two.  Ten minutes tops.  But like the Terminator …she’ll be back.

So I bundled up again and we headed out to wander around looking for the perfect spot for whatever it was that she deemed so important.

And look what I saw.

It might look like the tops of the trees still have their yellow leaves, but they don’t.  The glow at the top is the sun rising and just catching the tips of the trees.  We ran back to the house for the camera.

The sun continued to rise and the glow continued to grow.  It was astounding, and Katie and I ventured further into the back yard to enjoy it.  Quickly the entire trees were engulfed in brilliant warm morning light.

And I would have missed it all if I hadn’t had my girl telling me it was time to go back out into the cold on that early morning.

She even posed for me.

That’s my girl.


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Forever peaceful

A last bit of story from our trip up north.  As we were leaving Grindstone City, way back on a dirt road we passed this:

It was a beautiful little hill with a family plot, all fenced in with obvious care.

We climbed the hill and quietly explored.  It was beautiful.  Maple trees were in full color, there was no sound except for birds and chipmunks.

We wandered about, reading the headstones, piecing together the family histories.  One stone caught my attention; a small unassuming stone of a little boy who was born and died the year I was born.  Next to him were his parents, who died many years later.

I stopped a moment and thought back to all the things I’ve done in my life.  While I was walking to kindergarten in my “milk money” dress, the one with pockets to carry the nickle for the week’s milk, this little boy was resting here.  When I graduated from high school, learned to drive a car,  went off to college, he was still here…when I bought my first house, got married, changed jobs, traveled…well…he was up on this beautiful little knoll.

For whatever reason I connected with this little boy who missed out on so much.  He should be about ready to retire now, he should have stories to tell his grandchildren.  He should be peacefully sitting on a porch somewhere, listening to the birds and chipmunks.

When things get hectic and crazy and when I’m overwhelmed and tired all I have to think about is a little boy forever peaceful up there on that knoll, and I’ll know that I’m the lucky one.

Peaceful or not, I’m the lucky one.


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The race not run

I spent last weekend in a small town a couple of hours away at the home of a friend.  Once upon a time I would have called her one of my running buddies…but I haven’t been running in two years so I guess now we’re just regular friends.  Friends who happen to get together for running events.

A year ago she did a half marathon that sounded like a lot of fun and I vowed that by this year I’d be in shape to do it with her.  And I was moving along toward that goal, up to six miles, when I messed up my knee.  So though I was registered to participate in the event this year, after spending most of August and September sitting around with ice on my knee I was in no shape to run.

But I didn’t miss out entirely!  Three of our little band of four actually DID run the half marathon on Sunday.  I went with them to the spaghetti dinner the night before, spent the night at our “runners slumber party” and got up early to see them off the next morning.  Then the husband of one of the runners and I went out to eat breakfast while they ran the race.

Doesn’t seem a bad thing does it!  And it wasn’t.  It was great to see everyone, to talk about old races we had done, to plan some races for the future (because FOR SURE by next year I’ll be back on track!) and generally support each other in our attempts to foil the aging process as we keep active.

The race itself was small, but beautiful. It ran through the streets of a quaint, Norman Rockwell type town for a mile…

…then most of the rest of it was along a rails to trails path that ran past ponds and colorful trees, farms and open fields.

I got to walk some of it, and kept myself busy taking photographs of the beautiful scenery, including the current header picture, as I waited for the front runners to come back by on their out and back race.

So this old runner had a good time, even though I didn’t get to run the race.  Running can be a solitary sport.  Or it can be a sport that brings solitary people together in celebration of good health and friendship.

Great job ladies!  You’re all my heroes!


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Catch a shooting star

I went to bed early last night exhausted from nights of sleeplessness.  But it was another restless night.  As husband slept, and dog slept I watched the clock.  Finally early morning, maybe 2:30 a.m. or so I got up.  Naturally Katie did too.  And as soon as we ventured out to the living room she starting running around barking.  As I’m shhhhing her, afraid she’d wake up the husband, I turned on the floodlight in the backyard.  There, right near the house was a little rabbit.  A terrified little rabbit looking for somewhere to run.  I turned the light off and tried to distract the Sheltie.

We went out the front door, she sniffing the ground, then wandering around till she found the right spot to do her job.  I sighed as I shivered in my pjs, wondering why I, the only one with a job, was standing outside in the middle of the night waiting for Katie to finish.  Then I urged her back to the house, posted the this mornings wordless Wednesday entry and tried to go back to bed.

Nothing doing.  Katie had to go out AGAIN!  Seems I rushed her inside too soon.  She has a persistent bark that means I’m not going to get away with ignoring her.  So out we went again.  Maybe 2:45 a.m. now.  We wander around until she finds a new perfect spot.  I sigh some more, watching the stars, which were heavy and low in the crystal clear October night.  To me the Big Dipper represents Dad, and Orion’s belt is my Mom.  Mostly because those are the only two constellations I can recognize.  Still, I talk to them regularly while Katie and I are out in the dark.

And then, just as Katie began to do her thing, the biggest, brightest most wonderous shooting star arched across the sky right above me.  It was amazing.  It was beautiful and it shot through the sky for a full second or two.  Katie didn’t notice it.

But I did, and right there hugged my baby-girl for making sure I was outside on a chilly October morning so that I could see such a beautiful thing.

Way to go babe!