I rolled out into horse country to Sky Meadows State Park for a walk in the woods. There is a circuit hike up the shoulder of the Blue Ridge from the parking area that runs 3.7 miles; elevation change is 900 feet. The one thing I don't like about the hike is that the two trails up the mountain don't meet the Appalachian Trail at two points, so there's no opportunity for a pure circuit without backtracking that includes the AT.

The Piedmont Overlook Trail climbs quickly through pastureland (how could anyone farm on land so unlevel?). You enter the forest for the North Ridge Trail, which is a couple of short, steep, heart-pounding (at least for this weekend day hiker) climbs interrupted by the valley of Gap Run; the final climb to the ridgetop and junction with the AT is more gradual. Today there is a fair amount of leaf fall, with some gold still in the canopy; understory beeches still show green and yellow. The South Ridge Trail descends, for the most part, on an easy leaf-strewn fire road, and the circuit is completed with a short rolling stretch of 18th-century farm road. Crunching leaves underfoot and rolling downhill: what could be better? The circuit takes under 2 and a half hours to complete, and it fufills my requirement that I spend less time in the car getting to the trailhead and back than I spend actually on the trail.

A couple of Common Ravens (Corvus corax) were audible in the sky, which held a few soaring vultures. I found a few robins, a flock of nearly 30 Dark-Eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis), a small mixed flock of sparrows, a kinglet, perhaps three Red-Bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus).

posted: 5:53:28 PM  

I'm working on a scene or two with Tom, who is taking a directing class at the Studio Theatre. We met with Tel and Bruce R. yesterday afternoon to block a scene from Tartuffe. In by the side door, up the three flights of stairs, through the well where maquettes of previous sets are stored, to the rehearsal studios.

Tom sketched a triangular plan set, suggesting a divan, writing desk, and commode with the cast-off furniture in the room. The writing desk was a 50s-era laminate and chrome kitchen table. I was learning Damis: in our scene Damis has confronted his father Orgon with Tartuffe's duplicity; instead of shooing Tartuffe out, Orgon shows Damis the door, and disinherits him to boot.

So Tom wanted Damis in a position of some power. First we tried seating me at the desk, and then Tom said, "Okay, this time try sitting on the desk." So Orgon says, "Villian, be still!/I know your motives; I know you wish him ill," and I backed up and planted my cheek on the table.

There was an abrupt loss of horizontality on the part of the tabletop. I caught myself on the way down, but we rather found it necessary to stop the scene. Two of the table legs were now on the floor. We inspected the table and found that they had been attached with duct tape and some screws the size of thumbtacks.

So I can say that I have made my mark on this 14th Street theatrical institution. But, to paraphrase David Merrick, I have not followed his advice: learn your lines and don't break the furniture.

posted: 10:46:44 AM