A Walk To School With Tommy & Anna (And Lydia and Sammy and Jack Too)

I always hated it when adults took my picture, and I had to stare into the bright sunlight. It wasn't because of some dread of bright lights, because I always loved summer.

The whole thing was about your eyes hurting, while you stood and waited for someone to snap a picture.

Pictures are not a big deal when you are under the age of 25. It's another sign that you are old. You cherish moments, and you want something to remind you of what you felt and heard and saw that summer morning.


Signs of fall begin to appear. It's the beginning of a time when sunlight fades in early afternoon to gentle yellow colors.

We had planned to walk the kids to school that morning, but it was too difficult to leave.

Within a short time, we decided to stay one more day: another afternoon spent at the park with laughing and dancing grandchildren, another evening with more hugs for little ones--just before we decide to get ready for an early start home the next day,


another night of sitting on the brick-tiled patio in a chair to see the sky fade from azure to royal blue, just before stars begin to appear in the darkened blanket above.

Did I mention the sound of crickets, something I love to hear. It has to be a sign, that you grew up in the country to recognize the beauty of night song, the chatter of crickets, the deep croaks of toads, the sounds of an occasional hawk or other bird.

The area of Reno reminds me of the ranch where spent summers as a child and adult, but the birds are different here. Nighthawks are here, but I don't hear doves or larks or killdeer.

The area is beautiful, and the people here are friendly.