School Daze

The aroma of Autumn & Fall is in the air and there is a certain 'feel' to this season that I love. It lets me know the heat of summer is finally gone and more pleasant and cooler days are here for a while. It reminds me of the start of the school year. It reminds me of the anticipation and wonder of what was to come during the four school terms that made up the year.

It was the same for me as a public school student, a college student, and even the two years I spent teaching students. As I mentioned in the Mid-Terms? post: I miss school. Fortunately there's this time of year when I can 'feel' school in the air.

I'm in a daze longing for the good old days.
Of youth, and innocence, and school.
And when there was no Cancer.

So, last Monday, after the early morning Mid-Terms #2 appointment the mood struck me to take some time for a leisurely, out of the way, scenic route home. Back roads. Through some farm land (diminishing) and subdivisions (increasing). Lots of stop signs. No freeway.

As I slowed down for one of those stop signs I saw these bikes propped against a fence. I must be getting old. My first thought was how far away from the school they were; was that a new rule? My second thought was that there weren't very many bikes and wondered if various societal fears are preventing the pleasure of a kid being able to ride a bike to school, like we did in the good old days.

There were students out on the grass playing outside. At the stop sign I made a left turn to continue my slow paced drive home and was also watching the activities on the school yard grass. Then I saw something that made me realize I would need to eat my words thoughts. I laughed at the folly of what I'd been thinking previously. Right there, inside the school fence and near the load/unload zone were HUNDREDS of bikes. It seemed like a sea of bikes. Although this was the best picture I could get there are still so many you don't see. This sight made my day!

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