Crispy leaves and lovely weekends

Fall has come late to the Northwoods this year, and this is a bit sad. Weather conditions have made our lovely fall color a bit dreary.  Apparently TONS of water, extended warm weather, humidity (yes - it has been humid up here) has taken its toll on the trees and they are stressed.  But, there is some color, because, ya know, we have an awful lot of trees up here- and though the reds are not apparent, there is orange and yellow. 

What amazing color in the sky this weekend

I went kayaking last weekend, and it was remarkable. To be on Butternut Lake this late in the season was a definite perk of the above mentioned weather conditions.  There were SO many boats on the water, it seems that fishing must be good.  I don't know, I don't pay attention to such things.  I went with my friend and co-worker Lisa on Butternut Lake.  We did not see the eagle like usual, and not a ton of other birds- other than a few jittery ducks.  There were duck hunters lurking about, they were probably nervous....  Like the decidedly jumpy blue heron that couldn't decide where to land.

Butternut Lake

Mallard

This weekend, though, I did a bunch of things here at home.  Even if it was beautifully sunny, I did a lot of things in the house.  I always feel more energetic when the sun is glowing and skies are blue, so I did some purging of stuff from my bedroom and did some cooking to use up and preserve some of the veggies from the garden.  And I went for a 4.5 mile walk Saturday and hit up the gym this morning.  And though I procrastinated until this afternoon, I also made some  grape juice that will eventually become grape jelly.  The grapes were crazy this year- they apparently appreciated the weather even if our trees did not!

Just enjoying the scenery

Homecoming is done at school now- THANK HEAVEN- if you speak to me regularly, you will know that homecoming stresses me out.  The frequent interruptions, the feeling that children are stalking me, and just the general over-the-top excitement make me twitchy.  No one was ever rude or anything, but I am going to be glad to not have that waiting for me at school.  We really have such a nice student body at the high school.  

Flambeau River

 I have been doing a lot of new lessons- including the intro to photography unit that I did for my Intro to Art class. That meant that I was doing a LOT of talking and I do mean a lot!!  I do not like to stand up there an lecture, but fortunately- this was photography.  And they learned a smidge about filters and editing and composition and they got to play on their computers for a while when I wrapped up the lessons.  With a purpose!  I am so pleased with this unit.  I have added a layer of composition concepts that I will continue through the semester.  I had a couple of my photog friends allow me to use their images for my presentation, and they really added a lot of depth to my images.  It was amazing how much I learned by interpreting and discussing compositional elements in the photographs by these fine photographers.  I doubt they read this, but thank you to Kelly Marquardt and Derek Ace for allowing me to use your shots.

Some late evening color

This school year is sort of weird.  The previous years I've had this particular configuration of elementary and High School (and I have had a LOT of configurations), I've had the ability to catch up with my elementary grading/record-keeping/cleaning up and the like on Wednesday.  Monday, I prep for the week, and Friday I break down the supplies from this week and plan for the following week.....  Well, unfortunately, I have this year an additional class and one hour less prep time.  :/  While I of course enjoy the children (little little children), this additional class is not good for my mental health. I'm so stressed out by Friday I am almost catatonic.  I don't have one minute that I  am getting ready for something or cleaning up after something else.  I am BLESSED to have 2-3 high school students who come down to help me a few times a week.  I would never get anything up on the walls if I didn't have them.  It just wouldn't happen.  And then there are the things that I have to do that I have no choice in....  that is annoying too.  At least the days go fast I guess.  

Feed me

Anyway, fall has kicked in and one way I know THAT for sure is that the MA is back doing his thing at the wreath and Christmas tree ranch.  With this extended grow season, the entire garden didn't get ripped out yet, and I am not sure where I am going to plant next years garlic next week...  And now there is a lot of dead stuff ie: beans, basil and tomato carcasses, that will need to be cleaned up.  um... yeah, no.  I won't be doing that most likely.  After my days, additional things that involve a lot of walking just doesn't happen.  Unless it is for my mental health- a walk to the stone house, or some similar route.  But we shall see.  I might feel ambitious.

Frost and fog

The giant wasp nest

I have a few things coming up here in the next month or so, all joyful things I will have you know!  :)  And hopefully a quick trip to Bayfield will begin it all next weekend.  I have a few things I need to do there!  :D

I began this post in the late afternoon and am just finishing it at bedtime.  Pretty typical.  Lol.  I hope you all have a good week.  Full of light and color and joy!  

Pictures!

I have not put up a picture post for a while.  I have a bunch of them to edit from yesterday, but here we go anyway.

From my last kayak- Flambeau River

I had a nice walk with the Mad_English Teacher last weekend, not so sure he did as he was a little on the sickish side.  But there was some decent enough color up in Bayfield, but wow I wish that I had been there this weekend.  Oh well.  I have to stay home once in a while, right?  Especially since I will be gone a few days this week.

My poor sick friend :(

Anyway, here are a few recent photos that found their way onto one of my cameras....

Favorite tree- this is one of my favorite shots of the year.

Mute swan on the Chequamegon Bay in Ashland

Poor favorite tree

Meyers Beach, Cornucopia, WI

Meyers Beach

From above the sea caves

Almost fall

Houghton Falls, Washburn, WI

Morning visitors

Another of my favorite shots from this year

The board walk above the seas caves

The road just past the entrance to Meyers Beach, Washburn

Lake Superior

Some of our very short lived fall color

Brilliant morning

I hope these photos give you a small amount of joy this very cold morning.  (23*)  But the sun is out and I am ready to go ON to a new adventure, right away!! 

I'll miss you Miss Sunshine- but just for a while

I was a happy and sad girl yesterday evening- I kayaked the Flambeau probably for the last time of the season.  It was a nice trip, I was dying to get on the river to take some autumn tree pictures, and last weekend I was a bit busy.  In retrospect, it is just fine, because I would have been HIGHLY disappointed as the trees are only now starting to really change.  The color this year is not the brilliant, fiery, warm colors of 2014.  And they are about 2 weeks behind in the change as well.  That is actually ok, that means we have an additional few weeks of actual leaves on the trees.  We like leaves here.

Next weekend I will hopefully be spending  time up in the greater Bayfield area with the Mad-English teacher and the Mad-Science teacher, so there will be no kayaking. (The other factor in all of this is that the MA will be busy elsewhere on weekends, so the kayak mode of transport is gone) The M-ET and I will hike probably twice, because we are like that..... and we enjoy being so tired we can't move on Mondays, it just is our gig.  HA!

Yesterday, as I was loading the kayak in the back of the truck, I again noticed how easy it was for me to tote that thing around.  When I began my kayak adventures in May, it was far far more difficult to do that.  I didn't realize that in May, everything was still difficult.  It was better than in, say, February and March, but I recall really struggling to get the boat into and off of the truck.  Carrying it any distance was a real problem, and it really affected my confidence.  But, I kept at it, as I am a determined little thing - there are those who will testify to that fact.  :)

It seems like life likes to throw little things at you to let you know that you are indeed not really in charge at all.  People, events, situations occur and appear that you never would have invited in at the time that they happen.  Or you may have welcomed them, but you had no idea the real impact they would make.  Some of these events- let's say broken joints- might have given you a chance to truly heal from injuries that have been subtle and insidious, always there and waking you up several times a night.  Or it might have given you a chance to rekindle friendships, allow you time and space to get to know yourself again, or really understand how important your ability to be active really is.  I think the whole - don't take life for granted - was really the lesson I learned.

So I went on many adventures with Miss Sunshine, and she was certainly instrumental in my healing and getting my groove back.  While I did the majority of my physical healing in the winter (wow was that good timing) and was pampered, and fussed over, and watched by many, many, MANY people near and far - I had to find my self confidence again.  Getting this kayak was certainly the right thing at the right time in my life.  I had so many adventures, overcame more fears than any of you can imagine* and had so much fun.  I have my friend Adam to thank for tagging along, and helping me hoist that thing around when I really couldn't do it very well, and enjoying some of the best experiences I've had, ever.  And certainly it was one of the best, if not the best so far, summers of my life.  I have never before thrown all shoulds and shouldn'ts to the wind and just DID.  I regret only a few adventures that didn't happen, but you just never know....

First solo extended kayak- do you detect fear??  ;)

I am all about the feeties in the sun

Kayaking for me has been the best therapy ever.  The motion is gentle, yet you have to dig in when the waters get rough.  The repetition is what strengthens the muscles and the tendons and the bones, but it is easy to stop and rest and "stump" for a moment to take photos and send text messages. So many private little joys.   It gave me a workout in the best possible way in all the places that I needed the recovery.  It provided me a way to become stronger without the use of dumbbells or barbells, which I was not ready for yet. When I tried to begin that too soon, I was just frustrated beyond belief by the amount of strength I had lost.  When I went again in August, after a summer of being on the water, it went much better and I continue to make quick gains.  The physical recovery is matched though, by the recovery I needed in all other areas of my psyche.

#HaveAnAdventure

Kayaking is a solitary sport, but it is really nice when shared with people.  I did a lot of that this summer, shared my enthusiasm with my friends, both on the water and in photos.  To go with another person, or people but do all the work yourself is just about perfect.  I am so glad I had my #HaveAnAdventure friend with me while we did all of those crazy things- mostly involving waves and large lakes.  We are NOT experienced and we know it, right Adam??  Lol.  Lately, though, I have had to go on the water as I began- by myself.  I needed to gain that confidence of being able to venture out solo.

kayaking friends

So cut to last night- I pulled my bright yellow buddy off the lake.  It was cold.  I know what is coming. I captured a few amazing shots and lots of mediocre ones.  I plunked my stuff on the dock and again got out of the boat without getting my feet wet.  I could stand up without any effort and didn't fall over in the boat (yes that happened.  HAHA)  The change from my first quick paddle around the dock area of Smith Lake- the day I bought the boat- came to mind and I marveled at the changes.  I feel so free on the water, so strong and confident now.  So different than when I started off.  Then it was an effort to keep the kayak going in the right direction, now I have a whole set up for my camera and finally figured out the right settings for these pictures.  Before I was afraid to go far from shore, and now the middle is my favored position- at least in the river.  I can channel Jen and paddle with my feet up on the deck for miles.  I can maneuver around like someone who knows what they are doing.  I still feel like an impostor sometimes, I never would have thought of myself as someone who does a kayak.  I was always a little afraid of the water, though I love being on boats.  I worried about being that low in the river, but am so grateful for the POV when I am taking photos.  I have gone places I have never been before, or seen those places in different ways, and to think the real impetus for this purchase was broken elbows....  amazing.

First time in the water- May 17

I actually shed a few tears, mourning the end of my summer last night, as I drove back home- regretting the end on one of the first days of October.  I think I did a good job of stretching it out as far as I could.  I will wait a few weeks before putting Miss Sunshine away, but I am not anticipating another trip.  I will substitute other adventures for my wavy outings, but I will be thinking of next year, when new and exciting things will be happening.

Some things I will have planned, some things will be spontaneous, some things I am sure will be unexpected, but I will be there to find some joy and be open to the things the universe wants me to know- I can't even imagine, but I can't wait to find out.

*Besides a slight over cautious feeling when I am on water, I also feared dropping my phone/camera/lens/paddle AND after reading the book "Bird Box" there was a whole other dimension to kayaking.....  Lol.... fortunately that didn't last too long.