12 October 2013

I'm sitting outside at 5:36 pm PDT as the sun sets. I was lying in the bedroom, missing my tree, but enjoying the sunlight, and I felt like I should be out in it. So I got up and came out, only to realize it's rather chilly. But I'm sitting on the base stump of my tree, next to my tomato plant, soaking up the last rays as best I can.

The leaves of my maple are about 3/4 of the way turned, but this ornamental cherry, or whatever it is, is maybe only a quarter of the way done. Both trees have leaves that turn yellow. It is really windy, part of my tomato plant broke off, but it has a lot of tomatoes on it, so I'm letting it get sun, and bracing it with my knees. It is still trying to flower. I planted it from seeds in the middle of summer, and then transplanted it into this big outdoor pot, and it took well, but it might be getting just a lithe fatigued from the pot, because two of the sproutlings grew up, so there are two separate plants in the one pot. One has two bigger tomatoes, and one has a bigger one and 3 tiny ones.

Today was a nice day in Reno, I was hot walking the dog around an hour ago in my sweatshirt, but now the wind has moved in and the sun is far on the horizon, behind a cloud. The sky is still a nice light blue, but soon we will revert to standard time and it will be dark by this time.

When I think of my time in southern California, I think of the sun coming in the back of my house, which was the west facing side. The sun coming in through the slats of the white plantation shutters, and it was warmer in December, but with enough chill in the air at night to turn the maple leaves red. I don't have that kind of maple, though. The arborist who arranged the removal of my locust tree that shaded and dappled my bedroom window in the afternoon, she said my maple looked good, and she told me the name, but I've already forgotten it.

It was too cold, I had to come in. I dragged my tomato plant into the garage. Today is my husband's birthday, but he isn't here. He flew to Pennsylvania to visit his mother, and he is in Philadelphia right now, waiting to get on a plane to Scranton.