There are times when I crave words of wisdom, words to assist me as I ponder upon experience.

Seldom do I hear such words in day-to-day interactions. Attila can flash brilliantly at times, like a gold coin beneath a shallow surface of running water, caught suddenly and briefly by reflection. It keeps me listening. These bright flashes are not the result of clever repartee or of finely honed intellect, nor are they born of deep philosophical discussion. Sincerity towards oneself and others is the only light that shines on wisdom, the only brilliance in the shadow. Like Attila, my friends lie just below the surface of day-to-day life; their existence premised on light waves and angles.

As I watch the world around me, my faith is rewarded, occasionally, with a glimpse of a sudden radiant spark. Recognition. It is enough.

The weather turned today. We have had rain for the past few days, but now the temperature has dropped and the high for today is predicted to be 16 degrees. I have begun to close the storms on the windows that we seldom use and will soon follow suit with the remaining windows by the end of October.

Last weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada. Attila and I enjoyed a turkey dinner for two on the Saturday afternoon and spent the rest of the weekend gadding about. One outing we thoroughly enjoyed was popping into the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville, Ontario. The live music was excellent, the atmosphere friendly and relaxed, it was a good time from beginning to end. We hope to get back for another visit soon, but of course, to us, the weather and road conditions will be determining factors.

We also managed a visit to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) to have a look at the new Crystal addition. Very impressive! There was an excellent First Peoples exhibition running while we were there, which included not only artifacts, but also works of art and pieces of history. Another exhibit I found fascinating was the Black Star Sapphire of Queensland. When we first approached the display case someone was standing in front of it, blocking my view. As they stepped aside I caught my breath in surprise, at the size and beauty of the gem. It was so beautiful that I found the border of diamonds an annoying visual distraction.

My favorite exhibition on this visit was, however, Glass Worlds: Paperweights from the ROM's Collection. My favorites were the clear glass paperweights displaying patterns of bubbles. A film, provided with the exhibition, was very informative and answered all my questions about just how one would create a paperweight of such beauty; it is not a skill casually aquired.

So that's us then, all visited out for the season. In the next week or so we will begin to cure the masonry fireplace for the heating season and will be staying close to keep the hearth fires burning here at home.

At home, since I last wrote here, I have been busy with my little projects. We have had a few cold days, cold enough that my hands became stiff at the keyboard. Nothing for it but to get out my fingerless gloves. Couldn't find them though, not anywhere. This purging activity is great, but occasionally it backfires. So, on a visit to a discount store I purchased another few pairs of stretchy gloves. Upon arriving home with them I proceeded to cut the fingers off the gloves. Perfect, they keep my hands warm and supple as I type.

Last week Attila brought home a bag of ripened sumac heads. I followed a jelly recipe, from a little book I purchased in the early seventies, called "From the Fruits of the Earth: Jams & Jellies, Marmalades & Conserves, Wines from plants cultivated and wild" by Blanche Pownall Garrett. The recipe stated that the sumac head has a high acid content (malic acid), so I refrained from adding my usual portion of lemon juice to the recipe. Oh my, that was a mistake. I have a lovely sumac syrup, which I am sure we will enjoy. Next time, if I want jelly, I will add lemon juice to the fruit juice so that it will set properly. The taste is marvelous! I remember it well, as my grandmother made sumac jelly annually. I will think of her every time I open the jar and enjoy the unique taste of the sumac.