Rabbits
Rabbits
Rabbits
September...
Back
to
school.
Pumpkins
growing
in the
compost
pile.
Tomatos
on the
roadside
stand.
Indiana
Sweet
Corn
Mmmm!
Touch-me-nots
startle us
with their
seedpods.
Sunflowers
startle us
with
color!
Dragonflies
soaking
in
September
sun.
Grasshoppers
on the
windows...
Butterflies
on
clover...
Farmers
markets...
Full
of
sweets...
and
flowers
for the
table.
Time
to
reorganize...
Time
to
migrate...
to
migrate...
to
migrate.
A few
leaves
foreshadow
fall...
We
have
later
sunrises...
Earlier
sunsets...
It's
time
for a
nap.
The Land
is
so
beautiful
in
August.
The purple
season
bows
to
yellow.
A simple
walk
through the
grasses...
Brings
me
face
to
face...
with
the beauty
of
summer.
The flowers
are
beautiful,
yes...
But then,
so are
the
thistles...
the colors
of the
pokeweed
are
stunning...
Even the
lowly ragweed
throws elegant
arches
up into the
August
sky.
The yellow
flowers
bring
sunbright
to the
land...
and
the soft
grasses
flow
with
the wind.
My chest
thrums
with the
masses of bees
working
the prairie.
I enjoy
the
swallowtails
and
painted
ladies...
while scanning
the skies
for the
monarch
migration.
My
milkweeds
are
ready.
The pines
shine
with
streaks of silver
reminding
me
of the
silver shining
in my own
hair.
We are aging
together
the
summer
and
me.
and
we
look
forward...
to
the
beauty...
of
a
new
season...
yet
to
come
The
infamous
Ride
Across
INdiana!
90+
degrees
and
humid.
163 miles
in
one
day...
It's
grueling!
says
Tom....
from
his
air-conditioned
Highlander.
Oh,
he doesn't
mean
the
biking...
He's
talking
about
the
sagging.
Endless
hours
of
handing out
gatorade....
icing
down
towels...
exhausting
my poor foot
on that
accelerator
pedal...
and
there's
all that
waiting...
and
waiting...
It's
exhausting!
But for
my
little
girl...
I'll
pack
away
my clips
for one day...
and
SAG.
OK.
I
have
to bike
to the
start.
Past
the
Terre
Haute
courthouse
and
the
Terre
Haute
sunrise.
I love
the
excitement
of the
morning
start.
Can I
do it?
Will
my body
last
the
distance?
A
familiar
face
in the
crowd.
Scott.
He's on
his 12th
RAIN
ride....
and
then
there's
Al...
on
her
first.
The
countdown
begins.
10
9
8...
7
6
5...
4
3
2...
And
they're
off!
I'm
surprised...
at the
number
of
ladies...
in
this
testosterone-
laden
event.
I'm
surprised...
at
the
number
of
hills!
Look!
There's
my
friend,
Steve!
He biked
across
America
last
summer...
with
Al
and
me!
Now
he just
needs
to bike
across
one state!
Good
luck,
Steve!
And
good
luck
to me!
In
this
danged
Highlander.
I follow
the crowd
out of
Terre
Haute...
and
they're
off!
Some
riders
are
very
serious....
Some
are
jovial.
And
some
think
it's the
end
of the
world...
It just
may feel
like it
by the
end
of the
day.
Ah!
34 miles!
The first
rest stop!
Time
to
take in
more
fluids...
and
get
rid
of
some.
There's the line-up
for food...
But
not
for
Steve...
He just
wants
Fig
Newtons...
and
some
air.
Now
it's on
to
Plainfield!
It's
too bad
they're so
busy
biking...
they
don't
even
notice...
the
beautiful
flowers.
I hope
they
notice...
their
dedicated
SAG
supporters...
cheering
them
on...
from
the
side
of the
road.
Keep
on
biking...
Up
one
more
hill...
and
we've
made
it!
Friendly
faces...
Lots
of
food...
and
support...
It's
getting
hot...
(in
more
ways
than
one!)
Our
feet
hurt...
I'm
exhausted!
It's
still
100
miles
to
go...
Will
we
make
it?
Stay
tuned...
for
Part
II...
of
the
Sagging
of
the
RAIN.
Dragonflies
