137. RAKES

Lawn-clearing engineering

* Dropping temperatures and windy days have left our front and backyards downright carpeted in leaves. Since we live next to a forest, there are plenty of leaves that fall on our lot. In response, my housemates and I have had several "two-rake" days recently.
* Raking leaves, I think, is great exercise.
* For me, raking is also very mathematical. If there are different spots in a yard to which leaves are raked, which leaves should be raked to which spots? In what order should they be raked? If there is a choice, how many such spots should there be such that overall raking is minimized?
* I have fond memories of going over to my grandmother's house as a college student to help her rake her leaves. Afterwards, she served my friends and me a big pot of home-made soup.

136. AUTUMN SUNRISES

Colored branches on display beneath angled ray

* Fall foliage is hitting its peak in Maryland at just the right time. With last weekend's clock reset, the sun now rises right around when I am getting up for and heading to work. Out my bedroom window and along the road, I can see the bright orange and yellow leaves illuminated by the sunshine.

* The illuminated foliage may be more splendid beneath the morning sunlight than at any other day. The angle at which the sun strikes the earth has an interesting effect on the sunlight's effect.

* As you may recall, I like sunrises at other times of year as well.

135. BATHROOM RUGS

Cold floor, no-more!

* This week, the temperatures have dipped into the thirties in Maryland, and at times the bare bathroom floor hasn't felt much warmer. But the bathroom rugs have come to the rescue!
* Our upstairs bathroom has the snazzy arrangement of having two rugs - one besides the tub and another by the sink. This way, my feet can stay warm when I get out of the shower and when I brush my teeth.
* Picking a bathroom rug can make a big difference for the bathroom aesthetics. Our bathroom has unexceptional burgundy rugs. What's the best way to pick the best color rug?