Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 103:2

I’m starting with this photo (above) because it tells the story of the week; so much sunshine and so many vibrant fall colors.

Monday I got to spend the day playing golf at The Governor’s Club in Chapel Hill, thanks to Jim and Sue Crawford’s generous support of BSA. It was truly a visual feast. I have had the privilege of playing some of the best courses in the area, and this one is hands down (so far) the best. Stunningly beautiful, perfectly maintained, challenging, spectacular.

I tried to keep my camera in my pocket and just play golf, but every once in a while I couldn’t help myself, I just had to grab a photograph.

Also, and maybe this was because the setting was so inspiring, my play far exceeded my expectations. I drove the ball long and straight, and – very much out of character – I couldn’t stop making long putts! A fun day all around.

Geoffrey:

Photo Number Two highlights a big moment from our grandson Geoffrey’s third birthday. If you haven’t read it before, I highly recommend taking a look at my post from that day, “Mr. Irrepressible.”

I am interested to see what this next year will bring. Geoffrey has so much energy, so much heart, and such insatiable curiosity. It’s the curiosity part that tells me he will race ahead with his learning… and – of course – drive his parents crazy, there’s that too!

Good Food

Then, just in case I forgot how to cook while we were being pampered and indulged with all that cruise food, it has been a fairly good week in the Maul Hall kitchen.

The real challenge is continuing to eat well while getting rid of those pesky few pounds I picked up thanks to Holland America!

The key here, I believe, is croissants. Or, more accurately, the absence of croissants! Bread on board was an impossible temptation. Good grief, they put baskets of wonderful bread on the table without even asking!

Fall Colors:

This week was simply beautiful in our neighborhood too. So I will finish off with this from Maul-Hall.

The leaves! When we returned from the Caribbean we literally could not see our driveway. The entire property was under six-eight inches of leaves, on top of pine straw.

It has been unusually dry, so making mountainous piles by the street has been fairly easy. But I’m not sure why I bother, because a new batch covers everything within twenty-four hours!

Fall is absolutely, hands down, my favorite time of the year. I feel so energized by the cool clear air, so blessed by the beauty all around me, so invited to breathe deeply of everything life has to offer.

Wherever you are in this world, enjoy this coming weekend, and take a few moments to pause and be thankful – DEREK

more photographs below…

We thank you, then, Creator,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time, and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
for all your love imparts,
and what you most would welcome:
our humble, thankful hearts.

All good gifts around us are sent from heav’n above.
We thank you, God, we thank you, God, for all your love.

“We Plough the Fields and Scatter” – Matthias Claudius