It won’t be long now, I expect, being a Hope Ness resident long enough to know this is a precious jewel of a day for October 21, just south of the 45th Parallel in Ontario, Canada: winter snow and freezing temperatures are coming soon enough. So this is a joy indeed for an old sun-lover like me, even if I take advantage of the warm, sunny weather to do the work that still needs to be done to get ready for winter.

But I thought I’d take a few moments to share this day. Rejoice my children, the “sun also rises,” indeed. This glorious day’s lesson is, first of all, celebrating the moment and counting one’s blessings. I am a lucky man indeed to have found my way here after all.

“Blue skies smiling at me.”

But it’s also about hopefulness and great expectations in a world still full of natural beauty. Enjoy.

Oh, now isn’t that a gorgeous, blue sky