October at Home

        I am still getting used to being at home and still not back into regular routines. I keep forgetting things. Even simple actions as in making coffee for breakfast on run mornings. I was so concentrated on getting ready for the run that I forgot about making coffee until it was too late. I know that 8:30 a.m. is late for some but even when I get up at 4:45, as I did this morning, I have to rush to get in all I want to do before leaving for the run. 

        Computer time to check weather and assorted other sites that I look at and record every morning, making and eating breakfast, doing morning animal feeding and dog walking, as well as getting my running gear and snacks and liquids for the run all take time and before I know it, it time to leave. I did get all but the coffee done this morning.

        For the first time in my Rebel Run history I was at the front of the pack for the first 29 minutes. I have no idea why as I was not running any faster than usual. Perhaps everyone else was tired? My finish time was at the end as usual but Donna Quick kept me company and even convinced me that all the "Round-the-Bay" shirts we were seeing on runners was a sign that we should do that run together in the spring.

        I did say that when I turned 70 it would be the last time I would run 30 km but I really missed the run last year and I still have not come in last so . . . 

        I feel the need to put up a couple of photos from the last few days. This first one is of the lunar eclipse that I saw and photographed on October 8th. This photo is a Photoshop layering of nine photos that I took that morning starting about 5:40 or so.

        I don't remember the last eclipse that I saw but I do know that I have never been so successful at taking photos of any eclipse in my life. I used my point-and-shoot Nikon Coolpix P7700 on the "Night Landscape Scene" setting and was very pleased with the results. All photos were taken in hand as I did not get out the tripod.

        Yesterday afternoon I did my usual wild flower walk in the Hamilton area after spending my morning at the Royal Botanical Garden's Herbarium where I volunteer every week that I am home. I found over 70 wild flower species in bloom. (I am feeling too lazy, and tired, to go get my list to get the exact count right now.) There was nothing too special about any of the flowers as I have been finding more and more wild flowers blooming later and later over the years. One special sight that I have seen several times in the last week or so, both on our long walk and here at home, is bees on goldenrods and asters. Some have been sleeping late  in the mornings and some are just sitting and enjoying the sun in a colourful place. Following is my photo from Friday afternoon on a New England Aster.