Ponder Before You Post

I am impressed with how easy and quick it is to post something here--if you shoot from the hip. The mechanics of sign on, start typing, and click "publish post" facilitates intemperate comment just as easily as deliberate reflection. It's little wonder the social network services are so popular with the masses.

But this service, like any of the others, takes a lot of effort if you want to make a quality impression. If you are willing to do something out of the box, it isn't hard. Anything else can be painstaking, even for those with some web experience. Initially, I had decided on a format, only to discover that the posting dates were printed in impossibly small type. My wish is for more comprehensive design controls than the ones provided.

Please enjoy the collection of autumn foliage that I am using to decorate the site. I took most of these pictures in October 2009 and 2010.

Autumnal Harvest: First Fruit

Last Thursday, I searched my name and discovered that Google now lists my website as the first result. Although I've accomplished that with Bing/Yahoo, this was a first with Google. I suspect that my use of Blogger and linking the website had a lot to do with it. Other correspondents report that it is not the first result for them, but that it does appear on the first page.

For that reason alone, this experimental blog is a success.

Welcoming Jack Frost and the Autumnal Cast of Characters to our conversation

The first day of my blogging experience I woke up. Then I went downtown to look for some help. Then I hung out in front of the computer.

With apologies to Cheech, Chong, and the now-sainted Sister Mary Elephant, this is my first experiment in blogging. I don't know what direction Autumn Leaves will take, much as we don't know the day a particular leaf will fall or precisely where on the ground it will fall. Jack Frost will do his thing, the rains will come, and the winds will howl!