observations from october

My Introduction to Creative Writing class last semester was generally disappointing, but they did have me write two observations each day about things I saw on campus. During this time, I was living in temporary housing, having to cross much of the campus each day. Here are some such observations. :)

- There is an orange cat who likes to sit under the apple tree across from my house. I'd like to write a children's book about it

- The plant that my roommate and I have been caring for has gotten so tall that it's starting to droop. I wonder if I gave it too much water, or if I did something wrong? It grew wildly fast, coming back from death miraculously, but now I'm worried that it's fading again.

- A squirrel is lying in the leaves beside my walking path. I don't notice him there until he scrambles to run away in a noisy thundering of dried leaves. It effectively startles the breath out of me, and I stand there, chest heaving and scared as the squirrel climbs into a nearby tree. He clings to the lower trunk. We stare at each other. The tree is yellow and alight with too-warm early October sun. I ask the squirrel, "what the fuck is wrong with you? huh?” lifting my hand in exasperation. I realize I am standing in the middle of an empty gravel path. Alone, late for breakfast, talking to a squirrel.

- Vermont popcorn is 0 for 2. The bags of popcorn I've gotten so far have been so dry and flavorless. Too bad.

- Trees that just last week were full and orange are now half bare, fading to yellow to brown

- Lately it has all started to feel real

- I hear the Canada geese through my window. I don't get up to look, but it makes me happy to imagine them flying south for the winter. It conjures a memory of a tweenage summer, sitting on my friend's trampoline in early September, watching the v pattern soar across a purple and orange sky

- Our little plant has unfurled a leaf!! She tilts then she grows!! She recovers!!

- All I can think about is how to write a love letter without bearing my soul all the way — how to say the things that I cannot say? So I guess I won’t say them at all