Fall Colors

Patrick and I drove south along the Mississippi yesterday. It was close to a perfect fall day: cool air, a clear blue sky. The staghorn sumac along the highway was a bit past its prime, but where leaves remained, they were red. The aspens and birches and cottonwoods were their usual extraordinary bright yellow. The oaks were brown and red-brown and orange.

On the way down, we swung past the buffalo preserve on the Prairie Island reservation. The bison were there, close to the road, though they began to move away when we stopped. No pictures this time.

We went down to Pepin and stopped at the BNOX Gallery, one of our favorite places. I think it has the best contemporary jewelry in the area, and I am a very serious fan on handmade jewelry.

One of my fantasies is to have nothing but nomadic belongings: jewelry, textiles and rugs. When it's time to move, I put on the jewelry and the textiles, roll the rugs and throw them on my camel, then climb on the camel and head out. The only other thing I would need is a laptop and Internet access.

On the way back, we went through the Prairie Island reservation again. An adult bald eagle appeared out of nowhere and flew across the road right in front of us. "Eagle! Eagle!" I shouted.