Since getting back into the physical-fitness swing of things on May, I've spent a lot of time outdoors. It's of course been a lot of fun to get back in some sort of shape, but it's also been fun to directly experience nature almost every day: pheasants are loud all spring, silent all summer and fall; south- and east-facing trees seem to change colors earlier; the prairie grasses in the Arb need only a month to grow back after a burn; rabbits seem to breed twice a year; soybeans turn green and then yellow-brown; 7:30 p.m. in November is psychologically much later than 7:30 p.m. in June...
With the onset of the harsh part of fall, and the imminent arrival of winter, I'm going to try to keep going outside by setting a public goal for myself: this winter - for my purposes, the 151 days between November 1, 2007, and March 31, 2008 - I want to spend at least 150 hours outside: just about an hour a day skiing, taking walks, commuting on my bike (15 minutes/day), playing outside with the girls, running, shoveling snow, looking at the stars - basically, just being out in the cold. The running tally is at the top of the right sidebar.