autumn is officially here. crisp air, leaves turning colors. i had to close the windows for the first time today, and wear gloves while biking. game night has been revived and planned for this saturday. pumpkin-carving is in the works for two weeks from now. the booze cruise knitters have been reunited and it feels so good to socialize with the gals and knit. i like having plans to look forward to. like ms. lemon's wedding in two weeks! i'm heading back to portland -- hurray! i will also be spending some time with my parents at their log cabin in central oregon. and seeing cohen, nicole and other great friends. but no kate, because she is in india. this might be the first time i'm happy not to see her!

i biked the barns on saturday. it was a benefit for the madison area CSA. we biked to four local farms and had lovely local organic homegrown homemade snacks along the way. it was an early birthday present to myself. a beautiful day for a bike ride on my road bike. 70 something miles including to and from the start/end point from our house. i like it a lot, but there were a few glitches. oh well. strangely, i wasn't sore at all afterwards...just very tired. of course, instead of sleeping i stayed up until 4am at katie's wedding reception. so fun. out in the country with a big white tent all lit up with candles and globes, a big bonfire and the best (and i mean it!) bluegrass music my ears have ever heard. so sweet. so good. loved em. and at the end of the night, after the last sips of alcohol, and the fire died down, colleen & i slept out in an open field under the stars and clouds. what a nice night.