The weekend started off wet and ended beautifully!

I woke up Saturday to a wet, dark, chilly morning. So, I decided to be smart in hopes that the storm would pass by the afternoon and I ran my errands in the morning. Then I watched the Minutemen win another game. As the game ended the sun came out. I had been working on a presentation (my first as a PhD student) so I decided I "earned" a bike ride. I went out on one of my favorites so far. It was the first time I actually followed the same path I had already. On quiet, curvy, "mountainous roads" I got a chance to disappear. The fall is coming here and the evenings are cool and wet, and this evening ride was no different. It was nice to get out in the evening and try to beat the sun home. A few trees are starting to turn, so soon I will have nice Eastern Color pictures to share. I'm excited to see if all those visitors to Sundance were right: they claim the colors are better back here, than in Utah. I'll be the judge of that! Sunday was another beautiful day and I went for a walk later in the afternoon. My neighborhood is quiet and very rural so walking around here is very calming. I found some cows and some horses to talk to (see picture for the horses.) The most interesting thing I have seen in this area which is replete with small farms with roadside veggie stands are barns with huge leaves hanging from the rafters. I thought I had recognized them from my visit to Virginia as a young child, then I looked it up, and I'm pretty sure some of these family farms are growing tobacco! Organic pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and TOBACCO for all to enjoy!
As many of you know, I have an office like a big kid. There is another desk in my office, but no one else yet. I think that this year I won't have anyone else join me but it is a possibility that someday someone might join me. But I need to organize/decorate it sometime. Once I do that, I will send pictures. This is a picture of my building. It is kind of old and this is a state school, but it is a state school in a state that very concerned with education. All the faculty would love a new building, but for me, this is fantastic. The windows in the lower left had corner are the windows in my mentors office. One day, I too will have windows, but for now I will be happy to have an office and place to keep my bike, books, and computer safe!