If I were a big important national columnist, with a big important national following hanging on my every word, I would feel obligated to weigh in daily on the ghastly news continually arriving like so many shells raining down on us.
But here, on this hobby blog, with my ragtag bag of fans, who for some unfathomable reason like this stuff, I don't have to pretend to make sense of the insanity of the Israel-Hamas War, as it is now being called, according to official AP style. I don't have to try to explain what is to be done with immigrants — that's Friday in the Sun-Times — or set up a felt board and use Mr. Sun and Miss Moon to illustrate what Jim Jordan's double defeat in his attempt to become Speaker of the House means for the future of Trumpism.
Instead I can share with you an image of this lovely lake, which is ... well, better not say, in case you decide to rush there. What I will say is that the view, in this direction, was the solitude and serenity of this weathered old grey wood building, crouched amongst the explosion of yellow leaves, placid before still water. Though it was not an isolated lake. There were lots of people all around me. But I chose to face away from the crowd, for a few precious moments. I recommend it highly. The problems will all still be there waiting when we turn around.
Beautiful photo. Yes, we need a break from the news.
ReplyDeleteA respite is indeed welcome. Peace would be even more welcome, but the picture will have to do for now.
ReplyDelete“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, hope one day you’ll join us & the world will be as one”. John Lennon/Imagine
ReplyDeleteAmen
DeleteBeautiful. Just what I needed.
ReplyDeleteI like it. But "ragtag" are we. Perhaps.
ReplyDeleteLife is stressful. Take a walk in the woods or even your own neighborhood, away from the madness of every day life. It is a blessing that doesn't cost a thing. It will clear your mind. Take in the fall colors and the beauty that surrounds you. Thank you for this piece, Neil. It is much needed and appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve been walking in the woods for the past two days in Wisconsin. You can’t help but breath more slowly. Met a kindred soul who told us that a silent wood is like being in church to him. Amen.
ReplyDeleteWe only have now. Make it count and let the rest go
ReplyDeleteRagtag? Couldn’t you have used brilliant? Thanks for the time out, though. We can all use a quiet moment of beauty.
ReplyDeleteI've chosen to skip by the first definition of ragtag on Dictionary.com: "ragged or shabby; disheveled," in favor of the one I'm sure was intended by our genial host: "made up of mixed, often diverse, elements." ; )
DeleteHad to look up ragtag. I chose the adjective. Untidy maybe, disorganized sometimes, incongruously varied in character…yes
ReplyDelete‘I resemble that remark!’ Curly Howard
DeleteBeautiful! This respite is much appreciated and needed.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in the Carmelite seminar some 65 years ago, Fr. McMullen (not his real name because I can't remember it) scandalized us all be calling our basketball team "The Ragged Ass Cadets.," appropriate I believe for a team that didn't win one single game, despite my own efforts to take every shot, possible and impossible, that presented itself.
ReplyDeletejohn
john
Nice!
ReplyDeleteA fine photo, indeed. I'm often disappointed by the muted fall colors we usually get around here, especially the last couple years. The brilliant oranges and reds, even bright yellows seem to be the exceptions among a sea of washed-out yellow, burnt orange and flat-out brown. This lovely scene puts what I consider the somewhat less-than-thrilling display to its best effect, however.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I saw nothing but a melange of swirling yellow the first dozen times I glanced at the photo but then it came into brilliant focus and despite Neil's statement about turning away from the crowd, the photo seemed inordinately busy...and lonely.
Deletejohn
I thought the fall colors in Illinois were lovely. Then I moved to Ohio three decades ago, where we get those brilliant oranges and reds, the bright yellows, and even the deep purple and wine-red. I think it's because we have a lot more maple trees than Chicago does.
DeleteMy wife planted a maple tree in the front yard in the early 80s, and it grew to be five stories tall and produced dozens of bags of bright yellow autumn leaves. Their color peaked on November 7, like clockwork, almost every year. Eventually, it got sick and more bedraggled, and we finally lost it to a storm back in July. I miss its beauty and shade a great deal. But now my leaf-shlepping chores have been drastically reduced .
The street lights have a terrible effect on city trees. One of the things that they cause is for the leaves to not turn color cuz the trees are confused
ReplyDeleteA good reason to live in Evanston whre the streetlights are so dim as not to have any negative effect. Check out the brilliant sugar maple in front of Chiaravalle School at Dempster St and Hinman Ave.
DeleteWe take a lot of fall hikes every year, in the many parks and around the Cleveland-Akron area,. We earn badges (they call them shields) for our walking sticks, by completing ten trail hikes in Greater Cleveland and eight in the parks around Akron. This is the 24th straight year we have earned our shields.
ReplyDeletein Northeast Ohio, there are also many small lakes and ponds like the one pictured, with lovely pathways around them. I'm sure Mr. S knows where some of them are.
Not counting the leaf-shlepping, the diminishing daylight, and the falling temperatures, October is such a splendid time of year. (SG)
This is a lovely photograph.
ReplyDeleteBut I must confess, the fruit punch looks pretty good too.