In the week that I was gone, many of the trees in our yard lost their leaves. The lawn is a beautiful yellow and red (maples) in the front and more of a brown (oak) in the back. There is no avoiding it any longer, the leaf issue must be addressed! I have been to Greenbriar this morning to tutor my 1st grader and now finishing my coffee. Next up - outside chores! I am happy to have Delaney here (fall break) - she is a great helper!
October 2009 Archives
I enjoyed my week up North. The leaves were still pretty in southern Minnesota, the farmers were all out in their fields harvesting and the snow wasn't too bothersome!
As to the main reason I came to Minnesota - The Little House on the Prairie at the Ordway Theatre in Saint Paul - it was absolutely wonderful!! It was fun to see Melissa Gilbert (Laura on the TV production of the 70's and 80's) as "Ma" and all of the other characters were perfectly cast. All had lovely voices, the songs and orchestra, the minimal scenery, the costumes - all of it just great. It was so touching to see the portrayal of those actual people and events - I was in tears on and off from the raising of the curtain. Having read everything that Laura (and also everything of her daughter Rose) every wrote, seeing many photographs, and visiting the sod house site on Plum Creek in Walnut Grove, MN - I think it was just too touching. I think the closest to Indy the production will come is St. Louis in November. Saint Paul was the premiere city. And the days with my folks were just wonderful too - full of conversation, good meals, some sorting and sifting, and just plain taking it easy. My folks took me up to the airport yesterday(2 hours from New Ulm) for my 3:30 pm flight home. I am "Silver Elite" on Delta/NW so I got upgraded to First Class when I came up, but I wasn't as lucky on my return trip! At least the pilot remembered to land here in Indy:)
Yesterday I saw a new bird visitor to our back yard, however not a welcome one. A pidgeon hawk was swooping back and forth across the area where lots of goldfinches were enjoying an early supper. Suddenly he flew very close to the ground and in one seamless motion grabbed a little goldfinch. I saw the hawk take it's prey and land on the power lines with it, pause for a few minutes and then take off with his early supper. Sad to watch it really, but then that is how it all works in the circle of nature I guess.
Matthew Stephen Hatfield
October 13, 1976
9:31 am
6 lb. 20"
Unity Hospital Fridley, Minnesota
A crisp night here, no getting away from it - Autumn has arrived. I am not covering plants and flowers overnight like I have done in the past, but rather I will just let them go "naturally" when the temperature heads toward freezing.
It's hard to believe we are heading into the middle of October. In two days time, Matthew will turn 33 which is even harder to believe!! We hope to celebrate with him on the 13th, and again with everyone over here for brunch next Sunday.
Sad to report that it is now Delaney's turn to be sick. She felt tired at church today, and sure enough by this afternoon she had a fever of 100.2 - hopefully her flu will be mild and won't keep her out of school for long!
It's been a fun few days with the excitement of the Vikings beating Green Bay, the Twins beating Detroit and last night's Poetry Plus. Sharon's son was our guest presenter, and his program was on The Screwtape Letters of C.S. Lewis. I read that book when I was in my late teens and remember thinking "wow, that's odd stuff". I gave it another try before last night's program, and as usually is the case I had an entirely different perspective on it. This time I saw the satire instead of the "oddness" and pictured Professer Screwtape as an almost amusing purveyor of temptation toward his student Wormwood. Not to downplay the seriousness of the topic, but certain scenes made me laugh out loud. One being the man in the museum who is contemplating the deep religious tones of a painting - Screwtape instructs Wormwood to make the man focus instead on being hungry, therefore breaking his concentration and leave his spiritual thoughts behind and head for lunch! Makes me wonder how often I am visited by a Wormwood without even knowing it!!
