Beltline crossing, Clear Creek, downstream of Bot Garden, from new footbridge.

(in no particular order…)

Three bluebirds (not indigo buntings).

Five mockingbirds, up to hijinks.

One long walk.

Two kinds of tea—English (that is, black, from Ceylon, which is really Sri Lanka today), and Japanese green.

Zero great blue herons (saw one yesterday).

Ahem—nothing totaling forty. Other than four stats other than tea. Heh.

As it turned out, the best weather came and went before noon, so that when we headed out on a wee afternoon trek, we traveled under overcast skies and shivered as a cutting breeze cooled us when we strolled the banks of the Grand River. The river was unaffected, merely dark and flowing, independent of the weather we noticed with every step.

The Guru asked if the Grand River goes through Grand Rapids, and of course it does. Its mouth is at Grand Haven. Yes, Grand Ledge is on the Grand River, too. Thoughtful naming convention…?

As promised, here’s a sunrise picture…that pairs with the sunset photograph from the other day.

View from Alston overlook, Atlanta Botanical Garden, as clouds assemble.

A sunny morning turned into a cloudy late afternoon while we perambulated in Piedmont Park and the Bot Garden. We hear the festival of the lights at the latter is worthwhile (it’s extra $$, even with an ABG membership), but that was difficult to discern in daylight.

If you are tempted by Fukuyama’s Origins of Political Order (it’s already on year-end book lists), I say: skip it; don’t waste your time. The theoretical premises he outlines are drawn heavily from the field of anthropology…of 30 years ago. Hrrrumph. Stanford can do better. So can his publisher.

Moving on….

Bread recipe here.

Out for a stroll, avoiding the shopping hubbub, or the merchants’ hope of hubbub, we found the oblique light streaming down the alley, lighting this balcony. Nice.

This is not a view of Wellshire Farms acreage, but their kielbasa (driven up from ATL) was a hit tonight….

Is this a metaphor for my life today? Something about bright yet oblique light making frost-burned asparagus fronds glow red?

The leaves are dropping like…autumn leaves.

Returning from the groc store, I kicked leaves off the back path, and thought about finding the leaf rake, then turned my back on the accumulation, went inside and looked out at the yellow-orange-red mosaic now carpeting the yard.

Love the residual ridge-bumps out on the upper piedmont.

Among other things, we wandered today along a path that brought us down into the old ex-Cherokee community of Suches from “above,” from the north (ish), and this was the view out of the mountains, into the piedmont from Woody Gap.

Most of the time I was out strolling with B at Piedmont Park and the Bot Garden, I thought the daily photo would be of autumnal leaves. I know: again.

However, somehow the last major stop we made gave me more compelling images. I think these spheres and uprights (white endives?) are part of the festive holiday light-fest that’s being installed. Anyway, the backlighting from the late-day sun…very…captivating?

Did I mention that the ice on the Brasstown trees yesterday was…otherworldly?