can't get much more beautiful than ornament valley, fall 2008, clear blue skies, bright leaves falling everywhere, and saints day turning gently toward election day, bonfire night, guy fawkes day, stopping temporarily at "fall back," this morning, when everyone myself included got an extra hour in bed.

it was time for the annual quaker play, which in this case i'd tried to get out & onstage once or twice already. to be truthful, it's reached a point where i feel i don't have quite enough energy to really do it well, but i still did it, and, it worked out ok; my goal, really, is to bring issues to the table, not to resolve them, or even to influence people in my direction. i'm a quaker playwrite, but an almost reluctant one; i have mixed feelings about my own message, my own role, and even my own ability to do it as well as i'd like. at the moment, i'm a lot more wrapped up in other media, mainly pop art, short stories and music; if that doesn't divide & conquer me, a 50/hr week'll do it every time.

but, i'm alive, with a bit of a cough, tired, barely ready for another week. upon coming home, my 16-yr-old climbed a tree way up to the top, 'til i'd forgotten he was up there; i was playing the banjo & watching the little brother. it was a stunning day. the tree, a gingko, is bright yellow; supposedly one should rake those leaves before they rot. nearby other trees blaze, red maples, a berry tree, all kinds of stuff. it is, as i've said, the ornament valley, a good place to put the banjo out into, even if i basically haven't learned a new song for twenty or thirty years. my son didn't seem to mind; he'd actually played a tree in the play, a 30-ft. rubber tree, doomed by the demise of the interfaith center. did a good job, too, though all the actors played fast & loose with the lines. it was a happening. only in carbondale; only now. life goes on, and, i hope, will continue its stunning display; hope i don't lose track of this.