Gorgeous drive up to through the mountains yesterday, MOM. Blue, blue sky and puffy white clouds, Goldenrod, bidens, New York Ironweed and Joe-Pye weed, along with the brilliant scarlet of the early-turning leaves of smooth and poison sumac, and the slightly duller clusters of staghorn sumac berries decorated the fields and roadside all along the way.    At the tops of the ridges, a few trees just beginning to show a hint of fading into yellow and orange.

Then went to the Farmer's Market with Mom. It was just as colorful with the tables piled high with late summer and early fall produce, pumpkins and winter squash in every color, and big pots of mums and asters. Ran across bell peppers the deep purple color of eggplant, which I had never seen.

Life is good.