Leaf peeping with Leslie

When we moved to Connecticut, we were introduced to the term "leaf peeping," which is driving around in the fall looking at fall colors.

I had always enjoyed that in Utah and Michigan, and now it was fun to have a name attached.
When Kevin went back to Ann Arbor for a conference and Leslie came to keep me company, we decided that would be a fun activity.

My leaf peeping started as I picked her up from the airport. It was still early October, so not many leaves had changed, but the further north I went the better they became.

I got to airport arrivals and was almost immediately invited to leave by security, since no standing was allowed (is this a normal airport rule? I have never encountered it before). Twenty seven seconds later, as I was heading to a nearby parking lot, Leslie came out and obliged me by walking over to the parking lot that I paid $2.66 to be in for about 3 minutes. (Sometimes my complex reasoning skills take a nose dive when I'm somewhere unfamiliar.)

But none of the security guard's rudeness or money mattered now! Leslie was here, and the party was about to begin. She had transferred the "Jammin 5-a-day" music from a tape to her phone, so we rocked out to old classics such as "The Salad Sisters" and "B is for Banana" as we drove to the temple.

I'm going to talk more about the temple later, but I'll just say it was absolutely lovely and I was glad we got to see it.

After the tour, we grabbed a quick lunch and then began some serious leaf-peeping. I had stayed up way too late mapping out the driving routes which would be closest to peak this early in the month, and we followed them as best we could. Both boys nodded off so we were able to turn on Hamilton music to pass the time without queries as to when the Scripture Scouts and Raffi would be turned back on.

this . . . was way cooler in person. You know how it is

We drove and drove and drove all around the northwestern corner of Connecticut oohing and ahhing about the beautiful colors we saw. The best colors were on the freeways themselves -- no billboards or houses to get in the way of the grandeur of God flaming out in iridescent reds and oranges. It was fun to have Leslie along to validate my excitement and sing the lyrics I didn't know.

We spontaneously decided to go to a state park on the route back toward New Haven. There were two or so very long, windy miles that were made even longer by Matthew's never-ending screams. But once we got out he was fine.

Not too much in the way of fall colors yet (that's what Google images are for) but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Lake Waramaug 

After a good little while there, we headed back to New Haven. After dinner and bedtime, I finally was introduced to Gilmore Girls. When you drive through Washington Depot, CT you can't help but feel a bit of an obligation to watch a show that was set there (renamed Stars Hollow). And it was good! Maybe I'll watch more of it sometime. When I have time. Which . . . I don't know how people have time to watch so many shows.


The next morning we walked downtown to the library. As we passed various Yale buildings, I recapped the history of controversies that took place there last year. "Any other questions?" I asked.

"I haven't asked any yet," she said with a laugh. Fair point.

After checking out a few more books and settling several railroad disputes (sharing is hard), we walked to the food trucks at the ice rink and got a huge helping of Thai food for a rather reasonable price. After naps, we headed to Joseph's favorite park, then home for dinner.

hi church!

All he ever wanted were her sunglasses.

The next morning, we reenacted history with a picture of her in a shirt she's brought each time she's visited us.

too lazy to find the other pictures. they look about like this.

Then we packed up and took her to the airport. Kevin was there waiting for us as we pulled up to departures so that I didn't have to go to arrivals and potentially see the impatient security guard (and also so that he and Leslie could say hello and good bye in passing).

Leaf peeping with Leslie had come to an end. It sure was fun while it lasted!