A Peaceful Saturday
Today I walked in the beautiful, big park that I live half a block away from. I thought it might be just chilly enough for the hat and gloves, and it was, but I was also fine with just a couple of layers and then a fleece on top, no jacket. There's something satisfying about picking exactly the right articles of clothing for a three-mile walk.... Also, I guess I am thinking about knowing what to wear in the winter because I joined a hiking club. Just in time for winter, I know--but I feel a great need to be outside on the weekends and also to get away from the city, occasionally. I haven't yet gone on a hike with the group but I am very preoccupied with having the right clothing (!).
The three-mile plus walk that I did today is one I have been doing, on and off, for the 27 years I have lived in my neighborhood, so I know it very well. It's a road that encircles the park, close to the perimeter. It starts off pretty level, then dips as you pass the ball fields on the left (not much going on there in this season), then head around towards the lake, passing the bridle path on the way. It's always fun to see the horses cantering along, their riders so serious and focused. Then you pass the lake, and the people feeding the ducks and the swans, and the road begins to rise. This always feels like a long stretch, but then there's another part of the lake that becomes visible, and it's so lovely, you can see across the shimmering water to the trees on the other side. Today was an absolutely perfect fall day--started out cloudy, and then the sun broke through. Because it had rained hard over the last couple of days, there were puddles forming little rivers alongside the road, filled with floating leaves that reflected the sun. There were still a few trees with lots of colors, and one spot where the red and yellow leaves (maple?)were so thick on the grass and so bright in the sun's light that they seemed to be generating light themselves. Three young men--tourists, it seemed--were taking pictures of the tree and of the leaves and I wandered over and just stood in the leaves, in the sunlight.
As I left the park, I stopped at the farmer's market that is there, just outside one of the main entrances, every Saturday. I was thinking about hot apple cider but I got distracted by produce: broccoli, butternut squash, apples, Jersey tomatoes, baking potatoes. I felt somewhat dazed from my walk and the sun and it seemed hard to get those slippery plastic bags to open (especially with gloves on and only one hand, since I had my keys in my other hand). But I managed to buy and bag my produce (I am hoping the beautiful vegetables will inspire me to cook, a rare occurrence) and then rewarded myself with the longed-for hot apple cider.
I would go on -- but it's late, too late for blogging! It's time for sleeping. More another time.
The three-mile plus walk that I did today is one I have been doing, on and off, for the 27 years I have lived in my neighborhood, so I know it very well. It's a road that encircles the park, close to the perimeter. It starts off pretty level, then dips as you pass the ball fields on the left (not much going on there in this season), then head around towards the lake, passing the bridle path on the way. It's always fun to see the horses cantering along, their riders so serious and focused. Then you pass the lake, and the people feeding the ducks and the swans, and the road begins to rise. This always feels like a long stretch, but then there's another part of the lake that becomes visible, and it's so lovely, you can see across the shimmering water to the trees on the other side. Today was an absolutely perfect fall day--started out cloudy, and then the sun broke through. Because it had rained hard over the last couple of days, there were puddles forming little rivers alongside the road, filled with floating leaves that reflected the sun. There were still a few trees with lots of colors, and one spot where the red and yellow leaves (maple?)were so thick on the grass and so bright in the sun's light that they seemed to be generating light themselves. Three young men--tourists, it seemed--were taking pictures of the tree and of the leaves and I wandered over and just stood in the leaves, in the sunlight.
As I left the park, I stopped at the farmer's market that is there, just outside one of the main entrances, every Saturday. I was thinking about hot apple cider but I got distracted by produce: broccoli, butternut squash, apples, Jersey tomatoes, baking potatoes. I felt somewhat dazed from my walk and the sun and it seemed hard to get those slippery plastic bags to open (especially with gloves on and only one hand, since I had my keys in my other hand). But I managed to buy and bag my produce (I am hoping the beautiful vegetables will inspire me to cook, a rare occurrence) and then rewarded myself with the longed-for hot apple cider.
I would go on -- but it's late, too late for blogging! It's time for sleeping. More another time.
posted by Sarah Sometimes at 1:19 AM
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