On a gray day like this it’s nice to find things to warm a person up.  Today there were a few things that did just that.

On my drive to Rice Lake today I was welcomed to the Northwoods by a stunning display of fall leaves.  The colors were all shades of red, yellow, and orange, all looking more vibrant when contrasted with the steel gray sky.  Cresting the hills and looking into the valleys provided some spectacular landscapes.  I had to remind myself to keep looking at the road once in a while, my eyes continued to drift to autumnal awesomeness.

Once I got to the Rice Lake office I was pleasantly surprised to find a cup of coffee waiting for me on the desk I was going to use.  Huge thank you to Nicole for both the caffeination and a wonderful cup of white coffee!

As I drove home and enjoyed the leaves I was amazed by the way the vibrance of the leaves dropped with each mile I drove.  It was like I was driving back in time, a day or two every ten miles or so.  While this almost pushed me towards a gloomy landscape a different thought popped into my head and warmed me right up…

Hawaii!  The wonderful, amazing, perfect Big Island, the warm sun and cool breeze, the sound and smell of the ocean, the total feel of relaxation…  ahh…

Whew!!!  Where was I???  Oh, that’s right, I started thinking back to Hawaii.  A friend of mine is going on vacation there in the not too distant future and I’ve been trying to help her out with hiking and travel ideas while she’s there.  As I help her out I’m quickly reminded of all of the awesomeness of Hawaii and it warms me right up.

Today may have been cloudy, dreary and a little cool, but I was warm the whole day thanks to friends, memories, and Mother Nature.

Thanks!!!