A Short Cool Ride

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Synchronized swallows swooping and dipping
Pewter-grey clouds with sun-polished edges
Tiny grass seed glowing mistily red

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I wasn't sure I'd even ride today - we'd been gone to a family function this weekend and only arrived home in the wee hours of this morning. Short on sleep and behind on housework, I thought I'd play catch-up at home. But the day was too beautiful to stay indoors, so late this afternoon Iris and I hit the road for a quick one.

The weather is suddenly autumn-ish, with mild sunny days and almost chilly nights. Today it's 70º, and a cool (not to say cold) wind is blowing from the northwest. Painterly clouds are scudding across the sky, and the air is crisp and clear.

Asters have sprung up everywhere, in great lush bouquet-like bunches:

Look at this blossom, flecked with pink, its petals insouciantly tousled:

(A very casual, weekend-at-home look. If asters can be said to lounge, this one is decidedly lounging.)

Today's sky is almost impossibly blue, with improbably perfect clouds trailing their shadows over harvested fields.

Telephone lines are fascinating things. Who knows what words are flying back and forth along them? Loving words, thoughtful words, encouraging words, sad words, angry words, empty words, last words, first words....

The corn is turning caramel-coloured in many a field, as it dries down towards the harvest:

Bright red barns punctuate a swooping fence.

A fascinating drive curves out of sight in a sun-dappled wood:

The goldenrod, which peaked early this year, is beginning to dry up a bit - but there's still enough to keep the bees busy.

Shadow shot.

While coasting gaily pedalling diligently down a hill, I snap the stubble fields stretching away to my right.

If you look closely, you can see eight horseshoes nailed to the side of this barn:

Trees and sky mirrored in the water at my favourite marshy bend:

There's still plenty of Queen Anne's Lace about, though many of the blossoms have closed up shop for the year.

Just under the Queen Anne's Lace lies a hint of the colour to come:

Around the next corner, these heliopsis turn their faces to the afternoon sun. (Soak it up while you can, guys.)

Just a few miles from home, I spot a flock of wild turkeys and for ONCE manage to get a few clear pictures of them. (Turkey sightings are frequent at this time of year but the wily buggers have a way of melting into the brush before I can get the camera focused.)

The turkeys are between me and the sun - you can see its light shining through their wattles.

I turn the bike around to get one last shot, before they disappear over a rise and into a small quarry.

A quick, refreshing ride over familiar roads close to home.

15.4 miles

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