Sunday, October 7, 2001

I spent the morning puttering around my garden; sweeping dried leaves off of the gravel path, scrubbing the pond filters, watering the plants, and just generally maintaining stuff. I felt constructive, even creative.

I then read a few more pages of Islandia, but I can’t make serious progress. The story is well-told, but it’s told rather than shown. I’m told that George seems proud, instead of being shown his pride through his conversation or manner. Still, Islandia is a wondrous place, and I’m enjoying my discovery of it.

In the afternoon I made a trip to a local craft store for extra votive candles, and bought some fake pumpkins that were on sale. When I returned home with them, I painted one with a Jack O’Lantern face, and put the rest on top of the stone wall on one end of the garden.

AWANA went well. We have a good group of kids, and the club seems more organized this year.

After returning home again, I placed twenty-four little tin Jack O’Lantern bags along the gravel path that winds through my garden, and lit votive candles in each one. After placing my Coleman stove on the deck and lighting a log within it, and lighting a ceramic Jack O’Lantern on the table, the garden was as festive as any for this time of year.