in the autumn air

I've been thinking about this picture all day. It's that time of year, the days get a little shorter, and the geese are flying overhead... you hear them before you can actually see them. They form that perfect flying-v -- which I like to think is so they can all keep an eye on one another over the tips of their wings. They follow the same paths, north and south, every year... returning to the same places, time after time.

This picture was taken at the end of a beautiful fall day spent hiking with my mom, at the Pheasant Branch conservancy in Middleton. We saw herons and cranes, and a pond edged with cattails. We walked and walked, we even got a bit lost at one point, but it was a beautiful day to be outdoors.

Autumn in Wisconsin is such a treat. Our days are still warm enough to enjoy, it's perfect weather for football, and I love the crisp clean smell of the air. And the sounds of the geese, flying overhead.

on the terrace

There's a chill in the air, the students are back, and you can smell wood smoke in the autumn night. It feels like summer is coming to a close. But we can still enjoy a few nice weekends outdoors, and what better place to relax than on Lake Mendota, at the Memorial Union Terrace. They have bands playing outside on a stage at the lakeshore, the Rathskellar for beer and food, famous Babcock Hall ice cream, and these colorful, fun, "sunburst" chairs everywhere. There is a gigantic chair that you can take your photo with, and over the years these have become sort of iconic of the University. I just enjoy the splashes of color whenever I am up there.

remembering

September 11th. And I don't really know what to say today. Except that I remember. We all remember. Today we are all New Yorkers, we are all Americans, we are all one.

I was in New York City just a few weeks before the attacks. This picture was taken on July 30th. It seemed unreal at the time, because we had just been there, had just seen the World Trade Center towers. We didn't even go up to the observation deck, I remember thinking about that at the time, because we had just stood in line to go up in the Empire State Building, and didn't want to wait in another line. Strange thing to remember.

My memory from 2001 is different, I'm sure, than most people. Yes, I had friends and co-workers in New York City, and we worried and prayed for them, but I was very lucky, they were all fine and accounted for. My memories of that day, of that week, were of our family spending time with my mom, who was in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery. Our focus was much closer to home.

But what I remember most, was coming back to my house from the hospital, and the silence... I live less than a mile from a regional airport, so the planes fly right over my house all the time, and very low. They are wheels-down when they're over my house. And it was just so quiet. There were no planes for days.

So today my thoughts are with New York. Because I remember.

reflections

I've said it before, but I am drawn to water. Lucky for me, I do live between two beautiful lakes. They are the first things I miss when I am away from Madison, and the first places I come back to when I get home. Upon returning from every long vacation I've ever taken, I make sure to drive around the lake shore just as soon as I can, to see my city reflected on the water.

These lakes are beautiful to photograph, the light is interesting and wonderful at most any time of day, they're recreational all year 'round, for boaters, swimmers (including the upcoming Ironman), and in winter we have the colorful "kites on ice" festival, along with lots of ice-fishing.

There's something profound that happens to me when I am near water. I began to notice this after my first few trips across America, through some of our amazing National Parks, and to Europe. The most memorable moments, and also my favorite photographs, always involved rivers, lakes, coastlines, or the sea. Something about the colors of and reflections on the water. The light. The waves. The sound. Sometimes even the smell, especially of a salty ocean. These memories, and images, stick with me like no others.

found moments

This photo was one of those moments that you just "happen" upon, and which bring me so much happiness. I was leaving the house, heading to work one morning, and this ladybug was resting on some flowers near my driveway. I quickly and quietly went back into the house, grabbed the camera, and caught the moment.

I like to think there are moments like this all around us, every day, if we just keep our eyes, ears and hearts open, and take notice of the little things. Buddhists call this "mindfulness", being present in the moment, living your life being fully aware, and finding peace in what "is" right now. Being aware helps me to feel connected to the whole world around me, especially the natural world. And it helps me to notice the beauty in something so small, like a ladybug on a flower.