200th post nearly 2 years later

About this time two years ago, I was riding a plane that was getting ready to land in Rome. Shortly thereafter, I wrote a post about my experience walking for a week in Italy; hatched a grandiose plan that I had fun failing miserably at; and then set some more realistic goals and had even more fun achieving them.

This morning (or rather, the middle of the night) I roused myself to drive some friends to the airport for a week-long trip of their own. They, wisely, are going west to the warm waters of Hawaii. Strangely enough, after returning home from Raleigh, I wasn't tired, despite yesterday evening's run and five hours of sleep.

So I went ahead and ran some more this morning in the slumbering city streets. But not before going back by the magnificent tree in my neighborhood. Last night, even in the pale light of the street lamp, this one was a beauty.

Running this morning, I was treated to similar sights. Graceful Japanese Maples all aflame; Bradford pears turning themselves inside out with color; a Weeping Cherry tree, so sad to lose its golden leaves.

Everywhere, a carpet of color.