Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

I'm rather happy.

I saw evidences of grace all through last week. Like, God was taking care of me and my doings in ways it never occurred to me needed taking care of, let alone the obvious ways, such as two terrifying midterms, a less terrifying one, and two papers (which got postponed).

Last night I was allowed to go hiking at Raven's Rocks. I'd never been there before. It was a fall evening, like fall rarely is. The leaves were just beginning to turn. There was still plenty of greenery around, and yet the trail was bedecked with bright yellows and fierce reds that stood out against the dark mud like Christmas lights. The woods also varied between stern dark colors and bright wild greens. Then, after a longish uphill walk, one comes out against a valley overlook, nearly mesa-like in its suddenness and sheer drop to the floor below. We amused ourselves by lying on the edge and leaning our heads over--I took off my glasses first, for I wanted to keep them--and admiring the view and talking school politics, of all odd things. Lovely.

I spent a large chunk of the day having sister time, and another large chunk having a quiet time.

I had a good talk with someone; it was not easy, nor pleasant, but it was good and edifying, I hope.

There is a vase full of daisies and honeysuckle on my windowsill. During the sister time, we walked along the trail and picked flowers. Imagine! The middle of October and there are still big yellow almost-sunflowers, and little white daisies, and long strands of honeysuckle, sweet enough to scent a room!

And now I am going up to dinner. It is a good blessing.