Falling Leaves

The Leaves Are Green

The leaves are green, the nuts are brown,

They hang so high they won't come down.

Leave them alone till frosty weather,

Then they will all come down together.

Old Rhyme

Yesterday morning I went outside while it was still frosty out, and took some pictures. As I was snapping shots, it sounded like rain was coming down, but the sky was blue. It was because the leaves on the Tri color birch tree were falling so quickly, they sounded like rain falling. It was a beautiful sight, and a lovely sound to experience on one of the rare autumn mornings when the sky is blue and the air is crisp.

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!

The Frost Spirit

by John Greenleaf Whittier

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!

You may trace his footsteps now

On the naked woods and the blasted fields

And the brown hill's withered brow.

He has smitten the leaves of the gray old trees

Where their pleasant green came forth,

And the winds, which follow wherever he goes,

Have shaken them down to earth.

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!

From the frozen Labrador,

From the icy bridge of the northern seas,

Which the white bear wanders o'er,

Where the fisherman's sail is stiff with ice,

And the luckless forms below

In the sunless cold of the lingering night

Into marble statues grow!

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!

On the rushing Northern blast,

And the dark Norwegian pines have bowed

As his fearful breath went past.

With an unscorched wing he has hurried on,

Where the fires of Hecla glow

On the darkly beautiful sky above
And the ancient ice below.

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He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!

And the quiet lake shall feel

The torpid touch of his glazing breath,

And ring to the skater's heel;

And the streams which danced on the broken rocks,

Or sang to the leaning

Shall bow again to their winter chain,

And in mournful silence pass.

He comes, - he comes, - the Frost Spirit comes!

Let us meet him as we may,

And turn with the light of the parlor-fire

His evil power away;

And gather closer the circle 'round,

When the firelight dances high,

And laugh at the shriek of the baffled Fiend

As his sounding wing goes by!

Delicious Autumn!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot

Autumn is soon officially upon us..my favorite season of the year. We have had some beautiful fall days, and I look forward to many more.

The school year has started off quite well this year. Everyone is busy going many different directions, but what is new?

Kiki Aru just turned 13 last Friday, and is now officially a teenager. She had a fun birthday party on Saturday with about 15 friends. It is now official. We now have three teenage daughters. I'm actually rather enjoying it. Kiki tried out for the volleyball team, a new experience for her. She was excited to be chosen for the "A" team. I look forward to attending volleyball matches and watching her in a new sport.

Z2 started high school, and is now a freshman at Kellogg High School. She seems to be fitting into things quite nicely at KHS. She is running Cross Country this fall, which is an adjustment. In middle school they run 1.5 miles, and in high school, they run 3.1 miles, so it takes some getting used to. But she is doing well. Lots of sore leg muscles, though. She is also busy with pep band, and will start marching band soon, as well as singing in choir, and taking drama. Even though Z2 is an introvert, she sure enjoys performing (not unlike her father).

The Princess is really enjoying NIC and is making new friends and enjoying her classes. She tried out for a play. She didn't get a part, but thought is was a really fun and positive experience, and received very positive feedback from the director, which made her feel good. I'm also adjusting to not having her here, and am very excited she is enjoying her new college life.

PKR's drama program at KHS had grown like crazy this year. Last year he had one section with about 30 kids. This year, he has two sections, with about 55 drama kids. He just had tryouts for his fall production, and will also be performing in "Godspell" at the Sixth Street Theater. Yes, he realizes he is nuts, but such is the crazy life of the introverted thespian.

I am still at Kellogg Middle School with the Gear Up program, and am also at KHS with my program as well. I'm also in "Godspell". We started rehearsals this week, and I can't wait to put this production on the stage. This is the first musical I saw on the stage, when I was in junior high. Raymond Pert's first wife took me to a production of it at Whitworth College in Spokane, and I have loved it ever since. I have had the soundtrack since junior high, and know every song on the album by heart. (This is sure coming in handy as we learn the music!!)

PKR and I have always been involved on the worship team at our church. But, because of some changes at church, we are now the worship leaders. Actually, the whole family is involved. PKR does lead vocals, and hopes to get back on the drums occasionally. The Princess does vocals when she is home on the weekends. Z2 plays keyboard and vocals. Kiki Aru does keyboard, drums and vocals. And I do vocals and occasionally pull out my flute to play. What a blessing as a family to have us all helping our church worship the Lord.

That is the news from the homefront here in the Silver Valley. Even though computer problems continue to persist at our house, I hope to be a bit more consistent with my blog posts.

#98--My Tree--Full of Yellow Leaves and Long Autumn Shadows

That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see’st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the deathbed whereon it must expire,
Consumed with that which it was nourished by.
This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.
- William Shakespeare

#97-- My Tree-- Autumn's Arrival

Bright yellow, red, and orange,

The leaves come down in hosts;

The trees are Indian princes,

But soon they’ll turn to ghosts;

- William Allingham