Up and about at 530am Eastern time for the second day in a row. Not sure why, but this sleep pattern is going to play hell with my return to the west coast. Years of jet lag sleep debt may be catching up with me.

Long day yesterday due to the pilgrimage to Ashland and back. Had a nice day, got to watch the UK game with my Dad and then shared a very nice meal with Emily, Greg, the kids, brother Mike, Em’s mom and her husband Bill. I’m thankful that we have a relationship that allows us to gather divorced-then-extended family in one place and enjoy it.

A highlight of the day for me was a walk I took at the assisted living facility. I needed to stretch my legs before hitting the road again, and there’s a nice trail down the hill leading to a hidden lake (pictured above) . It was a perfect day for a walk – cool but not cold, sunny with a perfect slanting light. Walking to the lake and back I felt at home and at peace in a way I never feel anywhere else. The eastern woods are home to me – I suppose running through those hills during my childhood imprinted the place in me, and I really felt it yesterday. The oak, poplar, walnut, maple and ginko trees are the bold, broad strokes of the forest. The finer strokes are the smaller dogwoods, redbuds, grapevines and hollies. The moss and lichens on rocks and north sides of trees soften everything, as does the deep carpet of leaves. Even the parasitic mistletoe add a splash of color to the Fall forest. An eastern forest is really a holy place for me. I’m not a religious person, but being in the forest is a spiritual experience for me. (That and the first bite of a warm Spaulding’s doughnut.) Suffice to say I enjoyed my walk.