Autumn at Ojo Caliente, New Mexico (October 19-21, 2017)

Golden-leafed trees were a treat since we go from green to no leaves in Austin.

My favorite high desert fragrance is from this plant and I don't even know what it's called.  Desert sage?  White sage?  I'm almost sure it's a sage plant of some kind.  You have a beautiful middle name, Mya, whether for your wisdom or the heavenly fragrance of sage.

Couldn't decide whether this contraption was for trapping fish during the spring runoff or for keeping cattle from using the river mosey from one fenced property to another.

Papa was measuring the cottonwood's circumference, which required his tree hugging side to come out.

Sunlight on autumn leaves

Bench along the trail.  And yes, flip flops are excellent for hiking in non-rocky terrain.

Ojo Caliente, New Mexico (October 19-21, 2017)

Papa on the front porch of the Ojo Caliente bath house built in 1868. Seven mineral pools in the desert, at the base of a cliff, were used by Native Americans for thousands of years before Spaniards discovered them in the 1500s.  Ruins and shards of pottery from the Posi tribe are at the end of a short hike to the top of the mesa.

Warmth from an early morning pinon fire is welcome in the crisp, cool 43 degree aur.  The smoke is very fragrant.

Superman used to change in these.  Wear does he change now?

About 10 years ago, when I was at Ojo, I took a yoga class held in the hayloft of the barn, not yet renovated. Light filtered in through cracks in the roof and doves landed near us, their wings whistling when they took flight again.  On the walk back, the yoga teacher stopped to show me medicinal herbs growing along the dirt road.  Magical time!

Thinkery and Nessie Park (October 17, 2017)

Magic Papa at the Thinkery's air flow exhibit.

At the park across from the Thinkery.  We call it Nessie Park because of the Loch Ness monster sculpture at the entrance.

Such a relaxing way to swing!  Later, Fox pushed me on it.  Felt like Rock-a-bye Baby in dappled sunshine.

John Beeler's retirement party (October 14, 2017)

Former co-workers John Beeler and Bill Newchurch show off John's belated 60th birthday and current retirement cake.  Here are the personal connections:
(1)  John's daughter Kara taught kindergarten with Brandy in Round Rock, Texas.  Kara visited Brandy in NYC and Kara's son Peter danced in Central Park with Mya.  John and I wonder if we'll be grandparents-in-law someday. 
(2)  Bill's brother lives in NOLA.  Bill's nephew Drew Newchurch was Destry's close friend in elementary school.  BTW, Destry, latest is that Drew is engaged to be married.

Papa Tom took a turn at the keyboard to regale us with Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag."

Second line in the Friday the 13th parade (October 13, 2017)

The first line was the Dead Music Capital Band.  Check them out at dmcband.org.  One of the sousaphone players lives in the neighborhood near ours; any excuse for a parade!

The DMC Band plays traditional New Orleans brass band tunes (When the Saints Go Marchin' In, but in a minor key); heavy metal; even some Chopin.

In the second line

Cafe Monet (October 10, 2017)

One of Fox's favorite activities is painting pottery at Cafe Monet.  

Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day (October 9, 2017)

We all met in Shreveport on October 9, 2017, and took this rare photo of Dad with all five kids.

Friday, October 6, 2017

After pajama day at school, Fox and I caught the "My Little Pony" movie at the Alamo Drafthouse at the former Mueller airport site, now a residential/retail area.  Umbrellas protect from the sun as well as rain.  Cooler in the shade!

Descent into Austin (October 5, 2017)

On our way home from Asheville, Papa Tom spotted "LUECKE" as we flew over Smithville, Texas.  The giant word is spelled out in over three miles of trees, each letter stretching thousands of feet in each direction.   The geoglyph, spelling out the name of local landowner Jimmie Luecke, is the world's largest signature.  (Yep, everything is bigger in Texas).   The signature has been used by the U.S. government to analyze its satellite imagery.  The signature is also useful for evaluating spatial resolution of astronaut's photographs.

October 4, 2017

After a day of playing and games at Chuck E. Cheese, the kids were excited that Mama and Daddy would be home around 10:30 p.m. and would wake them up to give them hugs.

Piper, River, Mia, Mya, and Mylo, just before the kids's bedtime.

Mya's photo of Mylo: one cool cat.

Clean-up day (Tuesday, October 3, 2017)

While Piper was at speech therapy with Mya and me, Papa Tom and River played.

After speech therapy, we indulged in regular or vegan ice cream at The Hop.

Tuesday was vacuuming, sweeping, car washing, total clean-up day.

Eliada Home Corn Maze (October 2, 2017)

Mya on the bouncy pillow at the annual Eliada Home's Corn Maze.

In the corn kernal box.  So comfortable to lie down!

On the hayride

Piper in the corn box.

Mya and River raced each other through the box, only to immediately lose their flip flops.  It took us about 20 minutes of digging to find them again!

River sends his found flip flops flying!  Mya's wearing hers, but one of them promptly broke.  Luckily, there was a Dollar General store nearby that still had end-of-summer flip flops for sale.

Sunday, October 1, 2017

The day started with vegan French toast.  An almond milk/flax seed mixture works well as an egg substitute.

Stealing bones from the snarling, growling Bad Dog.  If you wake him up, he snaps at you!

River and Mya at the Fun Depot climbing wall.

Papa Tom guides Piper at the bowling game.

Time to try out the Whoopee cushions.

Back at the house, the kids dropped parachutes to Papa Tom below.

Oops!  One of the parachutes thrown back up to the kids ended up in the light fixture.  The plastic parachute melted onto the light bulb!

Launch Trampoline Park (September 30, 2017)

Ryder and Brandy left for Chicago around dawn.  Time to play!  Here, Mya takes on the obstacle course.

Piper is a fearless climber.

The dodge ball game starts and River dives for one of the balls.

On the dodge ball wall, waiting for the next game to start.

Asheville drum circle (September 29, 2017)

Free spirits celebrating life at Friday's weekly drum circle in downtown Asheville.  We had to get home for the kids' bedtime before the glow-in-the-dark hula hooping started.

But we did get to see the ukulele dancer.

Piper, Ryder, and Mya were a dancing blur.

Maybe a woodland creature?

Mellow Mushroom in Asheville (September 29, 2017)

We arrived in Asheville on Friday, September 29, and had dinner at the Mellow Mushroom.

Tic-tac-toe with River while awaiting our pizza order.

I think Ryder was catching up with some work.

Mya and I built our own almost-vegan pizza with pesto sauce, black olives, green olives, garlic, carmelized onions, and our guilty pleasure: fresh mozzarella.