This morning's bike ride made me long for fall, real New England crisp-air autumn. Usually there's an army of people out sweeping the leaves off the roads but no one had gotten to the bike path this morning so we were treated to the sound and smell of fallen leaves underneath our bike tires. There's something unique and memory inducing that happens when you hear the crunch of the leaves and smell that wonderful dried leaf smell.

I was reminded of days when the kids were young and we'd take them apple picking. There would finally be a nip in the air and I'd insist that the boys wear long pants and bring a jacket along. By the time we'd get out to the orchard the sun would have burned off the morning mist and the air temperature would be climbing into the 80's. We'd all be hot and sweating but still came home with bushels of crisp delicious apples. Today Lee and I got the hot and sweaty part but no apples.

We did do some great shopping later in the day though. We went with our friend Pearl to Meinong, the center of the Hakka culture of Taiwan. We went shopping at the umbrella store where the traditional hand-painted paper umbrellas are made. I admired some of the fabrics decorating the store and the shopkeeper told Pearl where we could find a little fabric store that sells the traditional Hakka designed fabric. Meinong isn't very big but they were celebrating an important deity so the streets were quite crowded.

The celebration included lots of firecrackers, a parade of people carrying little temples on palanquins, and a stage on the back of a truck with scantily clad women dancing to traditional Chinese music. It was pretty raucous. It also made driving through the little streets adventurous as we tried to avoid the parade. We did finally find the fabric shop where I indulged in one of my favorite pastimes. Without Pearl I would have been lost. But with her help I came away with yards of beautiful fabric that may never do anything more than sit folded on a shelf looking gorgeous. I may some day make some pillows with it, but mostly I just wanted to own some Hakka fabric.