October 1, 2000 ~ Falling behind

Fall is finally here; the leaves are turning, the nights are cold, and a distinct crisp feel lurks about in the air. A cool breeze in summer fails to penetrate, but, come fall, the cold drips deeper. It carries a hint of winter's frigid piercing chill, which can be felt deep in the bones, and deeper. The crackling of the leaves is a harbinger of cracking icicles. Dead leaves are a soft echo of things that are to come (and things that have happened since the dawn of time).

I have fallen behind in entries, and I apologize. These transgressions have a pattern. I grow too busy for one week to do an entry, and then don't feel that I have time to catch up on what has happened during that week. That week soon turns into a month, and I am lost again.

I welcome the fall. It reminds me of days back in Oregon, with the cool rain, a constant, always. A few weeks ago, it misted and sprinkled all day long, and it reminded me so much of home. I found myself drifting back to old memories as I walked through it, watching the little water-jewels coat my hair. A hint of wood smoke in the air, but dampness all around, and I was back in the park near my house on a fall day, or I was walking through the park blocks downtown with all of the huge, ancient oaks, the leaves and rain falling intermittently. Those memories from my heart-home now mix from these new ones I have of life here in these Smokey Mountains. Soon the landscaping crew will be out on campus armed with rakes. They will gather all the leaves into huge piles and load them into the wagon. I remember last year hearing the clop-clop-clop of Dolly and Molly's hooves, the two draft horses, as they pulled the wagon with multi-colored leaves around campus. Pick up and drop off. And then around again.

There has been a string about depression on The Well recently. It has made me think a lot about the past.

Also, the new café on campus has opened. Everything they serve is local, organic, and vegan. And it is all so good. Every meal tastes gourmet. I have been eating every single meal there, with the exception of weekends, when they are closed. The most wonderful thing about the place is that I can eat there on my meal plan with no extra cost! It has been so very healthy and environmentally sound and vegan... well, good vegan, which is very hard to find at a school cafeteria. I am very pleased. I don't know what I'm going to do when I graduate.

I hadn't realized just how big of an effect what I eat has on me, until recently, when I started eating in the café. I have felt so much more energetic and healthy and happy. I look forward to eating, rather than dreading it. It used to be that there was no guarantee that I would find anything but rice, beans, and salad in the cafeteria. It is nice to have the assurance that I will be able to eat something delicious at every meal. Warren Wilson is really good about helping people to be capable of living more ethically and environmentally sound lives.

I should get to my work. I will attempt to be better about updating this thing!

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