Fall

September
Steve and I went walking at the Cornell Research Center down the road. It's an old Hotel complex on a point out into Oneida Lake. It has neat old buildings, about 15 or so, with barns and scientific equipment accessorizing the workshops. There are huge trees and quiet roads and path and a neat quiet bay for their research boats and equipment.
There are huge oak trees with large acorns still green but hanging temptingly off the branches. I love acorns. They're so... substantial! (once when I went to a conference when the kids were little, I bought small gifts for the girls in the giftshop... but there was nothing I knew Jeremy would like...so I collected a large grocery bag full of acorns around the site of the conference... I couldn't have gotten him anything better!)
Steve was mortified when I filled my pockets with acorns off the tree... but they were so beautiful... but I know it's private property and I should respect the trees... but it's like candy...

So, this morning when I was walking by myself... I got to the tree again... and all the acorns had fallen in the wake of the hurricane winds and rain!! Yay! I filled my pockets and shirt. sigh. Lovely acorns.
They are great to throw safely at someone but still can give them a knock on the head!

Sharah called from Yellowstone. They're camping there and it got pretty cold last night. They are going to the geysers today but yesterday saw a bear, mountain goats and a ton of Buffalo. I'd love to go with them and explore. They got the box I sent with the ginger brownies and have been eating them.

Jeremy and Jenny moved into their new apt in Utica this weekend. It's a great neighborhood and puts them closer to some cultural events... and me!

School begins Wed, meetings Tuesday. I went to my classroom and got it set up for the most part. I still have to take some things in and dig up some of my houseplants out of the garden to repot and put in the class. Feng Shui and everything.

Today the neices and nephews are coming to stay overnight. It'll be fun to have them over. Christina, Lindsay, Amy, Noah, Christian, Jeannie, and Nancy... We'll have an acorn war!