There was some nice fall color this year.
Yellow predominates in aspens but there was some orange as well.
This little pond is just below South Lake. South Lake trail leads to Long Lake and Bishop Pass. A wonderful hike that I will show on a later post.
A storm is due and the community water is to be shut down next weekend. It was time to say goodbye to our cabin until spring. Summer seems so short, we have running water for less than five months though we often extend the season a bit and "camp out" in it once the road is plowed the end of April.
The fresh water and water heater are drained, non-toxic anti-freeze in the drains. I defrost the refrigerator and remove any cans from the pantry that might burst when they freeze. There is water stored and firewood for early opening. The deck railing has been removed so the snow can not slide off the roof and remove it in a more destructive fashion.
The Tioga road leads one to Olmsted Point.
Where like the tree you feel like you can reach the sky.
Yosemite's Olmsted Point honors Fredrick Law Olmsted and his Son, Fredrick Jr.
To see more stunning skies, click here.
When we crossed the river we stood transfixed.
The ripples in the water act as lenses,
and make constantly shifting patterns on the river's bed.
Before Michael came into our lives I had little knowledge of the world of "special needs"children.
People like Michael are safest living at home with loving family members, people who know him well and can interpret from his behavior if something is wrong.
Michael goes to a special school and has an after school caregiver until his parents return from work. But, he needs help with skills they do not teach in school, skills that make it easier for his family to care for him, for this he has a special therapist.
Shannon is a very patient young women who helps him learn "adaptive skills". She helps him learn to follow directions.
She teaches him to use an assistive communication device to ask for what he needs.
She assists him in feeding helping him to impove technique. I can attest, there is a lot of room for improvement.
When school and therapy are over, he likes to kick back and relax, just like anyone else.
He concentrates on putting the toy together. 
He doesn't see why Grandma is busy with her camera and not holding his hand.
"I want to go for a walk, forget the photo shoot" at least I think that is what he would say if he could speak.
Erratic: Geology. noting or pertaining to a boulder or the like carried by glacial ice and deposited some distance from its place of origin. (Dictionary.com)
A moonless might at the cabin at 9 PM.