The onset of fall

Whenever we make it to September, I feel like patting myself on the back. We made it! Sometimes August can just be long, hot, and boring. But September is my favorite month! And fall is my favorite season! Meteorological fall begins on September 1.

Monday was the last day of meteorological summer, and it was a cool, overcast day. I've been running up North Canyon four or five days a week this summer, and usually when I get to Rudy's Flat, I stand in the shade of a tree and drink water before I turn around. A few weeks ago, people were under my usual trees, so I had to go stand somewhere else. And while I was there, I noticed a little side trail that I had never been on, even though I've been going to North Canyon for years.

Since Monday was so cool and the last day of summer, I thought it would be a good opportunity to see where it went. I had heard there was a trail that went to the top of the mountain, so I wondered if this was the trail.

And it was!

I didn't run up the entire trail, because parts of it were steep, rocky, and overgrown. But it was still manageable.

 And parts of the trail were in great condition.

I got to the top of a ridge. I might have been able to keep going up the mountain if I had scrambled over some sandstone outcroppings, but I don't like that, and there wasn't a trail to follow, so I turned around. It was totally amazing! I loved being in a new place that was so close to someplace that is very much not new. It was a perfect day. I loved the view.

The way down was a little trickier, as parts of the trail were slippery, and I had to grab onto tree branches to keep my balance. But honestly, I've been on worse trails that are inexplicably more popular (e.g. Mount Olympus). This excursion added exactly one hour and two miles to my regular run.

I did the regular seven-mile run Tuesday through Friday, and I'm happy to see the leaves changing!

I'm still enjoying our own produce. I made more spaghetti sauce this week from our own tomatoes, 

 and then today I made zucchini pancakes.

One of my favorite things about September is making our own grape juice, but sadly, I don't think we will this year. We don't have enough grapes. Part of this is because my dad trimmed a lot of the vines, but I also think the vines we still have just didn't produce as much this year. Oh well.

I'm getting a better feel for homework, but I still found myself somewhat cramming at the last minute to get the readings in. Luckily, I don't have tests to study for, so I'm not required (or even expected) to read every word. But I am expected to participate in class discussions. I have a hard time doing that—in part because I'm naturally quiet, but also because I think my comments are less insightful or intelligent than those of my classmates, especially since I didn't do history during my undergrad. But a lot of that is probably more mental than real, and it's better to participate with dumb comments than not to participate at all. (I think.) Jimmy made an appearance in one of my classes this week, and I expect him to appear even more.

It is a little annoying now that I always have homework hanging over me. There is always homework I could be doing. It won't be totally done until classes end in December. And I'm also sad that during the Halloween and Thanksgiving seasons, I will have to be worrying about homework. But then I remember that some of my favorite times in life were times when I was also in school and doing homework. So homework does not ruin life.