We spent the afternoon in Sonoma yesterday and even though it's only about a twenty minute drive away from our house, it felt like a mini-vacation. I wish these pictures could fully capture how beautiful that town is when autumn hits it. I realized yesterday that I really enjoy this season because the weather is still pleasant (in the seventies most days), every grassy hillside and meadow is green, the sun is lower in the sky, and the sky is sprayed with thin and wispy clouds that never obscure the sun (stratus clouds or cirrus, maybe?). Also, it's very entertaining to watch our cat chase and stomp leaves as they fall to the ground. Spring is still better when everything is fresh and clean and new. But it wouldn't be so fresh and clean and new without fall and winter putting it all to sleep. That's another thing I like about fall, it kind of lulls you gently into the deep sleep of winter. If only we could join the bears and slumber away 'till April.

Just as another side note, as mentioned in a previous blog, Paul had the opportunity to lead a song in church last Sunday. It was funny though, because several people came up to Paul afterward asking him if he had really written that wonderful song. As you can see, the prelude was written by Bach and the offertory was apparently written by Paul. (Not really though!) Just click on the picture and you should be able to spot the error.