Well, I miss a week of passage, and I get emails asking, where are you? I
get behind as well, life has a way of doing that sometimes.

My little grandson was born 11 days ago. My first. I was able to be there
through the entire birth and welcome Jonah to the world. It was an amazing
experience. Karen is an incredibly relaxed mother, taking little Jonah and
Matthew, who is 3, everywhere. I think Aaron is a little overwhelmed with all of
his new family. A year ago he was single....now he belongs to a family of
four. Welcome to our world, little Jonah.

Jonah already had his first storytelling performance as he attended by Hobos
and Trains show this week end. And what did he think of my work? He slept
through the entire performance.

It has been a couple of weeks of stories, festivals, shows, walking at night,
school during the day...and time passes.

Tonight while sitting on my porch working on emails, a traveling salesman
stopped by. It was too good to pass up. He carried his leather case and was
going house to house. I, of course, invited him in. He made me think of The
Music Man as he displayed his wares, scrubbed my carpets, washed my windows and
gave a sales pitch as no other. I now have $34.98 less than I had an hour ago,
but I have a large bottle of a citrus fluid that will clean...my entire
house, my laundry, my windows, my car, my cement, my cellar, and my driveway. Now
where else could I have better spent $34.98? It was a little blend of Little
House on the Prairie, Amway, the Avon Lady, and the hobo stories that I tell.
Personally, I can't wait to see if it works....

This week finds my suitcases packed up once again. It has been a long
stretch of six weeks...it is always like this the first few weeks of school, then
the wanderlust sets in and it is time to go. I am flying to Asheville where I
will meet Philip (when did I see him last..oh yes, I remember now..6 weeks, 2
days and 4 hours ago!) We will visit with his son and family, drive on the
national storytelling festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee and meet up with Ellen and
Daniel and lots of other storytelling friends at the Mecca. There will be
thousands and thousands of folks there listening to stories from sunup til past
midnight. The town will be decked out in pumpkins and corn stalks..streets
blocked off...tents and tellers everywhere...hot cider and bean soup and
stories. Going to Jonesboro is definitely an affirmation of what I do...and makes me
so happy to be doing it. Following Jonesboro, Philip and I are traveling to
Gaitlinburg to climb Mt. LaConte with some friends of his. He says it is 5 to
6 miles high. There will be cabins and warm food at the top, a night to rest
up and then back down in the morning. I have packed sweaters and scarves and
all of that for the cold weather that is sure to greet us on the top of the
mountain. When we return I will be leaving for Indianapolis for the Hoosier
Storytelling Festival and then be back home. So no Sunday Passage next week, I
am sure AOL won't connect at the top of a mountain!!

In family news, Jo and Bruce are home from Nova Scotia and their cruise in
the Northeast! Kristin is home (or was to get home yesterday) from her travels
to Uganda. Adam has been here all week from Tampa and actually came to my
storytelling yesterday along with Aaron's family, courteous of Hurricane Jeanne.
I have not heard from Uncle Dean yet on West Palm Beach, I think he might
want to stay in New York for a while longer! Mom and Dad in Houston thought they
might get a drop or two out of the last hurricane but haven't had rain since
early summer. What an odd weather year to say the least!

When I arrive back home, Autumn will be strong among us and with colors that
will razzle-dazzle the earth. Our September in Indiana has been one of the
most beautiful I can remember...dry and clear...cool nights...warm days. But
the warning signs of the oncoming cold season are all around us....branches of
scarlet...crickets that chirp all night...sweaters on the hook next to the door
now, instead of in the closet...quilts on the beds..and the early coming of
darkness.

So, tonight my friends and family....watch for the Harvest Moon, make a wish
upon it...throw an extra quilt on the bed..safe journeys wherever you are off
to....and for our literary feast, just a few lines from the wonderful poem,
The Highwayman written by Alfred Noyes. Look up the entire poem if you want,
what a great piece to read on a full moon night in late September. Love to all,
Lou Ann

The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding--riding--riding
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed, in the dark innyard. He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred. He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there But the landlord's black-eyed daughter, Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.